Amaranth Never Die Out
by imabat57
Summary: Join team AMRH(Amaranth)at Haven Academy,a place where you can find all walks of life. Meet Azurite,a street artist,and the new leader of AMRH,learn with Mealee a 13-year-old faunus,remember with Rayce,a girl who can't remember who she is, or dance with Helio,a blond wth a wild side. join our team as they fight bad guys, like the spring maiden, the wicked witch of the east and more
1. Azurite Trailer

_This world is but a canvas to our imagination – Henry David Thorean_

 **Amaranth Never die out**

 **A** **MRH**

 **The Azurite Trailer**

For Azurite it was but another day, sounds of the buzzing needles and quiet chit chat filled the small tattoo parlor like always. She lived upstairs, but today she was sitting in a chair, getting another new tattoo.

She was used to the sting by now, she already had more than 15 different tattoos. A full sleeve on her left arm, and almost a full sleeve on her right. This tattoo she was getting today would take up the last of the room on her back. With all her tattoos it was hard to make out her natural olive skin tone.

Her hair was still wet from the shower she had taken hours before, which she took to wash out her hair dye. What was once a sandy blond, was now neon green, with pink tips. Half of her head was shaved, and the shaven part was already growing back with peach fuzz, the tattoo she has there, hidden beneath the neon fuzz.

She played a game on her scroll, absently using her tongue to play with her lip ring. Her pink eyes scanned the lit up screen her expression one of indifference.

She was used to the low class, roughens that walked through the door, after all living in underground kuchinashi, what was one to expect. Still it bothered her the different kind of criminals that would often walk through, most of whom didn't want a tattoo. They were here for the same reason her as guardian Irene Adler, also known as AI to everyone here on the continent of Anima, and that was to find out valuable intel.

The parlor was owned by Irene, and only Azurite knew her real name here in Anima. It was a designated safe haven, for all walks of life to come through and gather intel. If there was something you wanted to know, ask AI, after all it was her job to spy and find out everything she could about the people of Anima. Though only Azurite knew that.

"There all done, what's this one for anyway Zuri?" the guy giving her the tattoo asked.

He was her usual artist and always called her by her nickname. He also liked to find out the story of all of Azurites tattoos, and yes each one had a story behind it.

"This one is because I'm leaving soon, it's time to spread my wings and get the hell out of this place. I'm going to Haven academy soon, so this might be my last tattoo for a while."

"Well I think it's my finest work yet, but don't be a stranger, and if I find out you's been getting tattoos somewhere else, Zuri I swear."

"Relax you know you're the only artist for me, Shred. Besides I'm not leaving for another few weeks, haven't even broke the news to AI yet, thought I'd test it on you first. Do you think she'll freak?"

"Only one way to know for sure, when she coming back anyway?"

"Well she said she'd be back by tonight, so thought I should get the tattoo before then. So she can see, this is what I want."

"I think she'll understand, though grab some tissues just in case." He chuckled.

"Hey turn up the tv!" some guy getting a tattoo barked, Azurite shrugged and turned it up. She was in charge of the shop while AI was out.

"This is Maven Marron reporting in that raining champ of the annual mistral fight competition, Pyrrha Nikos. Has announced that she will not be attending Heaven academy, but instead will be going to Beacon academy. This came as quite an upset to the new headmaster at Heaven academy who says, "I was really looking forward to having yet another talented student in our midst this year." She also said that she is still looking forward to all the new students this year. This is Maven Marron reporting in."

"That just isn't fair, we finally have someone good and they go off to Beacon, what that girl think we aint good enough for her, geez if I knew her I'd give her a piece of my mind" the customer complained. A few others mumbled their agreement. Azurite rolled her eyes, and turned the tv back down.

She slipped her shirt back on, opting out of wearing a bra, due to the fresh ink on her back.

The door opened ringing the small bell above it, Azurite turned her attention to see the same guy walk in. He had been in a few times this year, always asking the same things. His dark eyes, and chin stubble were hard to forget, though the most prominent thing about him was the giant sword on his back.

His shirt was slightly untucked and he had a few stains from spilt alcohol, his flask in his hand.

"She's not back yet, can I take a message?" Azurite asked him.

"Actually I was looking for you." He says taking a swig from his flask.

Azurite raised an eyebrow, and everyone in the parlor went silent eager to get their hands on any new gossip.

"Me? Why?"

"Could we talk in private, away from prying ears?" he asked.

Shred gave Azurite a concerned glance, but she ignored it and led the man to the back. The door closed behind them, she leaned against the small desk covered in paper and junk. He leaned against the door. She crossed her arms, and cocked her head to the side in curiosity.

"Well?"

"Have you seen this woman here recently?" he held up a fuzzy looking picture of a women with black hair, orange eyes, and a red dress.

"Why?"

"I just came to warn you, she's on the hunt for some new henchmen and you'd fit her bill pretty well, AI told me to look out for you. Her name is Cinder, and she's bad news, don't get involved with her. Last I checked her and her posy were headed this way, they want information about Vale, don't give them any."

"Look whoever you are, I can handle myself. And this place isn't biased if someone wants to know something then all they have to do is pay the right price. I don't care who this lady is, as long as she has the dough then I'm happy. And you needn't worry about me running off with her, I have my own plans."

"The name is Qrow, and trust me on this, if you see her, tell her you are closing up shop for the day. Better yet just don't even talk to her. I'm just trying to help, but there is another reason I came here."

"What's that?" Azurite asked leaning forward.

"When you see AI give this to her, this will be last you hear from me, at least for a while. Don't look in it, just give it to her. Tell her I'm sorry I missed her, and she's been a good help to me. Also tell her she still owes me a drink." He half joked, handing Azurite a large manila envelope.

Then he turned to leave, glancing over his shoulder,

"Stay golden kid, don't let this place hold you down." He gave a soft smirk before walking out of the shop turning into a crow and flying off.

"What was that about?" Shred asked.

"Nothing," Azurite sighed dropping the envelope on the messy desk.

After closing time, only Azurite remained in the shop, wiping down surfaces and cleaning utensils. She turned to grab the key to lock up shop, when the bell jingled.

"We're closed." she called over her shoulder, not looking to see who it was.

The sound of heels clacking made the hair on the back of her next stand up.

She turned to see the black haired woman, smirking at her, eyes a blaze with some kind of resolve.

"We're closed." She repeated more on guard now.

"Don't worry I'm not here for a tattoo, I'm here for something else." She stepped in dangerously close to Azurites personal space.

"And what's that?" Azurite asked, her hand on her weapon which was clipped to her belt.

"I think you know what I want, it was dropped off earlier today."

"Look lady I don't know who you are, or what you want but you can come back tomorrow to see AI" Azurite said turning as if she was uninterested in the whole thing.

Cinder glared at her, and turned to walk to the back room.

"Hey! You can't be back there!"

Cinder ignored her and walked in. Azurite jogged after her, weapon drawn now.

Her weapon was an airbrush gun, that doubled as a laser gun.

Cinder grabbed the envelope and went to open it, but Azurite pointed her gun at her.

"Drop it, or else." Azurite threatened.

Cinder smirked and set the envelope down, drawing out her two swords.

Azurite fired a red laser hitting the wall behind Cinder, which burst into flames. Cinder having moved out of the way last second. Azurite cursed under her breath, changing the dust cartridge to blue, which fired a blue laser and put out the fire.

Cinder charged her, Azurite kicked off the door frame, and leaped over her, firing several times. Cinder dodge every shot, and sent crystal shards flying at Azurite, who was hit dead on. Azurite transformed her weapon, attaching it to a tiny air compressor, that was clipped to her belt.

She quickly drew a shield with the blue dust, and used her semblance to bring it to life. Which she used to dodge cinders next attack of glass.

She unhooked the air compressor and turned the gun back into a laser gun. Firing several times from behind the shield.

Fire erupted from under her feet sending her flying, dropping the gun and the shield. Cinder walked over to her a smirk on her lips.

Azurite used her semblance to bring one of the tattoos on her right arm to life, it was a full-length sword, which she used to block Cinders next attack with her swords. She kicked cinder back, and stood, being the same height as Cinder.

The two clashed swords, Cinder finding it amusing that Azurite was putting up a fight.

Cinder clashed swords with Azurite, kicking her hard in the knee while she was distracted, then grabbing her by the arm and flipping her to the ground. Azurites sword vanished and appeared back on her skin. Cinder smiled at Azurite before kicking her hard in the head and knocking her out.

"Azurite! Can you hear me!" Irene called.

Azurite opened her eyes, to see Irene's face. The place was trashed from their battle, and the envelope was gone.

"AI?"

"What happened? Are you okay?"

Azurite let out a sigh before letting her head fall back to the ground,

"Would you believe me if I told you some lady came in here to steal your mail and wrecked the place, let me tell you she has a killer kick."

"Damn, sorry, I would have been back sooner, but I got held up. Do you know exactly what she took?"

"Yes and no, Qrow came by said you still owe him a drink, also dropped off some package for you. That's what she took, I didn't look inside so I have no idea what it was. Also Qrow said he's leaving so you won't see him for a while."

Irene sighed and helped Azurite off the floor. Irene noticed the new tattoo on her back, due to Azurite's shirt having and open back.

"What's that?"

"Uh, I just got it today, you like it?"

"Why? What's it about?"

"Maybe we should get this place cleaned up first. I have a feeling this is going to be a long night."

 **A/N: hey guys batty here, so I have created oc's before, but never really got attached to them, so I never really cared about them enough to give them their own story. That being said, I feel like these oc's have a unique story to tell, and if I could animate I would totally make a spin off series of rwby just for them. This will take place just as rwby gets to beacon, except we are in mistral at heaven academy instead of beacon academy. There will be cameos and references to the main rwby plot and characters, but mostly it will be an original story line. I do not own rwby, so please don't sue me. Like team RWBY these girls all have their unique story to tell. Stay tuned for the other trailer chapters, and eventually chapter one. Also feel free to check out my other fics I may fall, and the ice queen and her rose. Also feel free to leave a comment telling me what you think all is welcome. But until next time,**

 **-Batty**


	2. Maelee Trailer

_I sometimes wish to disappear forever, though all I really want is to be found… -_ Batty

The Maelee Trailer

Maelee sat on her knees in her room, her short bob haircut, clipped down with a blue clip, pinned down by her ear. Her hazel eyes were focused in concentration, a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead. Her glasses were cracked and taped together, just barely hanging on the bridge of her small nose. Her round cheeks were pink with flush, and she wore her usual outfit, a sleeve less white collared shirt, and a blue school girl skirt, with long white socks that came to her knees.

The blue leather gloves on her hands, were fingerless, and buttoned at the wrist.

She licked her lips in concentration, her dainty fingers carefully putting together a project she had been working on. It was a small robot, one that would be an assistance to anyone who owned it. She was planning on giving it to her father for his birthday, which was a week from today.

"Mae!" her father called for her.

"Just a sec!"

She clicked the small arm into place, before grabbing the robot and all its parts and shoving it into her closet.

"Coming!"

She padded down the hall, her striped chameleon tail curled up behind her. She walked into her dad's workshop, he smiled a big smile at her.

He had brown hair, like Maelee, and it stuck up in all directions, looking wild and messy. He had a wide toothy grin, and was missing one tooth. He had on safety goggles, and a lab coat. Wearing his usual blue button up, and khaki pants. He had a serious five o'clock shadow, and was of less than average stature. Thin, and scrawny.

He suppressed his excitement and grabbed his daughter by her wrist tugging her over to his station.

"Okay, what? What is it?" she giggled.

"Try it on, It's finally done, come on try it." He urged, bouncing in place.

He handed her a white backpack, that had blue straps that clipped in the front. The backpack was made out of a light weight metal, the straps were soft and padded well. The bag had many different compartments, and had a small circle on the back, which would change color depending on the dust you put into it.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Well you're getting older, and soon you will have to start protecting yourself, so I figured why not invent something that could do it for you. I call it caretaker. Come on try it already, I was going to wait for your birthday but I can't wait any longer, I want to see you in it." He smiled.

"Okay dad, but it's kind of heavy." She said slowly putting it on and clipping the front strap on.

"You'll get used to it. Well what do you think?"

"Uh-"

"Why don't you take it for a spin, go to the pharmacy and pick up your new glasses. Go on, tell me what you think when you get back." He pushed her out the door.

She sighed and smiled slipping on her shoes which she kept by the door.

The town of Windpath was fairly small, everyone was usually friendly, and no one really complained too much. There was a small huntsman training school here, it was new only opened up about five years ago. Many of the towns children took a quick liking to it, and attended classes regularly hoping to go to Haven one day.

Maelee too liked the academy, but was forbidden to go. Her father homeschooled her, and sheltered her from everything. She often begged to go, she was only 13, but she knew if she enrolled now it wouldn't be too late for her to learn how to fight, then in two years she could go to Haven to be a huntress, it was her dream.

She walked by the small academy, many of the students practicing outside. Showing off their weapons to one another, they laughed together, and messed around, one guy shoving his friend to the floor then laughing. She smiled at them, as she longed to be them. She wanted to more than anything. Maybe now with this backpack, her dad might let her.

She sighed and shook the dream from her head, knowing her dad would never let her leave. It wasn't that she wanted to leave him, he was the best dad she could hope for, she just wanted more. She felt the world calling to her and she wanted more, more adventure, more friends, more everything.

"Hey their Mae, here for the glasses?" The old man at the pharmacy, Dr. Jekyll asked.

"Yes sir."

"What cha got there?" he asked.

"Oh this is my dad's latest invention; says it's supposed to protect me. You still coming by later to help my dad with the elixir?" she asked.

"You know it; we are on the precipice of a breakthrough I can feel it. With this elixir we will be making millions." He said maniacally.

Maelee giggled, and grabbed her new glasses from him.

"You're crazy old man. What would you do with millions anyway?"

She switched her broken glasses with her new ones, blinking several times so her eyes would adjust to the new stronger lenses.

"What would I do? What would you do! I'd get out of this place, go to Mistral, maybe even Atlas if I felt like it. The possibilities would be endless." He said ending with a coughing fit.

She smiled, "Well I'll see you later then, I'm almost done with my project too. You haven't told my dad have you?" she raised an accusing eyebrow.

"Me never, but you know that old Mr. Hyde he likes to talk. Can't promise you he didn't go flapping his trap. Don't worry though your dad never takes him seriously." He smiled his dentures slipping from there place slightly.

Maelee laughed, before waving bye, and heading back home.

"Hey Mae wait up!" a boy called running over to her.

"Hey digger," she smiled.

"Well? have you convinced him yet?" he asked.

Digger was Maelee's best friend, he attended the huntsman training school and often urged Maelee to try and convince her father, to let her attend. He had a huge crush on her, and often tried to impress her.

"What do you think, he's not going to budge. I thought you were supposed to be in class?"

"It's a field practice day, we get to practice on our free time. Hey are those new glasses?"

"Yeah, just got them now from Dr. Jekyll, the bags new too, my dad invented it. Says it's supposed to protect me."

"Wow so cool, your dad is awesome. What would this town do without him? You know that automated target reloader he made for the school works like a charm, keeps me on my toes."

"Well they don't call him tinker for nothing. He likes to tinker with things, he can't leave well enough alone. It's where I get it from I guess." She shrugs.

"Yeah, well listen I have to jet, but we should hang out tonight, maybe go for a movie or something?" he asked nervously fidgeting with his clothes, wondering if they were too small or too big.

"A movie? Sure, I can see if my dad will let me, Dr. Jekyll is supposed to stop by anyways so he'll be busy. So seven?"

"Really! Yeah seven sounds awesome! See you later then." He smiled running off in excitement.

Maelee stared after him in confusion.

A thunder cloud rumbled overhead, before a slow trickle of rain began to fall, Maelee ran the rest of the way home.

When she got to the house the door was open, and it was awfully quite.

"Dad?"

She heard a loud gun fire, jolting in shock. She slowly made her way to her father's workshop. Pausing at the door, where a woman stood.

She was dressed in leather pants, and high heeled boots. A long brown trench coat covering her shirt, and dragging the floor. Her face was covered by a black mask, one that had a purple outline around the eye holes. Green eyes staring down at her. Her hair was down and long falling past her shoulders. It's blond color bright in contrast to her outfit.

She clipped her lasso around her waist, it was in its gun form.

Maelee's heart began to race, as she tried to look past the woman. The woman sighed and reached out to Maelee.

"You weren't supposed to see this."

The backpack let out a soft beep, and a red laser scanned the area.

"Who are you? where's my dad?" she asked backing up to the wall.

The side panels on the backpack cracked open, ready to activate at any given moment.

The woman stepped aside, and Maelee locked eyes with her father's cold dead body. A loud crash of thunder rumbled the house.

Grimm perked up at the draw of negativity a simple pure soul hidden from the dark world suddenly corrupt and broken. A Geist possessed a rock, and began to make its way to the small town on the mountain side.

"We can't find it…" another woman said running into the house, followed by two men.

Maelee couldn't bring herself to turn and face them, her body frozen in shock.

"It's fine I got it, let's go." The woman ordered, walking past Maelee, to the others.

"Dad?" Maelee called, falling to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

Thunder echoed off the mountain side, the main woman pausing in her steps.

"Daddy?" she whimpered. Crawling over to her father.

The woman turned to look back at Maelee, the others pausing too.

"Dad no, no, this can't be happening, dad! Daddy!"

"He's dead, the best thing you can do is accept this and move on." The woman called.

"Boss?" one of the guys said.

"Go, I'll take care of her. Go and make sure no one escapes."

They nodded and ran into the rain.

Maelee stood and looked at the woman in terror, causing her backpack to activate, two long mechanical arms with an interchangeable head at the end stretched out in front of her. The tips crane like claws for now.

The woman took out her lasso again, having it in gun mode.

"Your aura isn't activated, so if I shoot you with this you will die instantly." The woman announced pointing the gun at Maelee.

A flash of lightning had the power going out. But Maelee could see well in the dark. She was a Faunus after all.

Maelee made a run for the exit, the woman going after her firing off a couple rounds, the back of her backpack expanding out into a shield, protecting her from harm. The bullets ricochet off the metal bag, and Maelee made it outside into the cold pouring rain.

She kept running never turning back, she ran to the town, but paused in her step. Everyone in the town ran screaming, running from the bandits.

A kick to Maelee's back had her falling to the floor. She looked up to see the mask woman pointing the gun at her.

She pulled the trigger, but Maelee wasn't hit, as digger jumped in front of her his weapon which was two long curved blades attached to his wrist to make it look like mole hands, blocked the bullet.

The woman transformed her weapon, wrapping it around diggers wrist and yanking him closer to kick him in the gut. Then she cracked it like a whip, sending a flash of red dust at him, bursting into flames as it made contact with his skin.

Maelee stood backing away, digger forced himself to stand, charging the woman.

She transformed her weapon into a gun and shot him several times in the gut. Blood pooling at his feet. He fell to the floor with a thud.

"Digger!" Maelee ran to him.

He cupped her face, and pulled her in for a kiss, activating her aura in the process, before his hand fell limp to the wet ground.

The woman wrapped her lasso around Maelee's neck, the two mechanical arms grabbed onto the woman, and one punched while the other held her still.

She dropped her lasso, and fell back as the arms, fired several rounds of blue dust at her, ice forming on the floor where it had missed.

Blood stained Maelee's shirt, and socks, as she stood to run away, running toward the forest this time.

She ran right into a beawolf, who slashed her shirt open and sent her flying. Grimm flooded into the small town, the bandits retreating.

Airships floated up from the mountain side and began clearing out the grimm, destroying the town in the process.

The woman charged Maelee, but the arms blocked her attack, one turning into a sword tip, the other staying a claw. Maelee covered her head with her arms, wanting to disappear and to vanish from all this pain. And so she did.

Her semblance allowed her to seemingly disappear into thin air, having the woman looking at the one spot rain wasn't falling in confusion. Though Maelee still hadn't gone anywhere, she was just blending in with her surroundings.

The grimm ran past her, and the woman retreated in haste.

Huntsmen and huntresses ran to help, killing off the grimm and barley saving the town.

Maelee returned to her home, the body of her father still in the workshop, her clothes still drenched and covered in blood, her backpack scanned the area and deactivated. She fell to her knees and just sat there. Not a single sound escaping her lips.

Staring off into a void, drops of water dripping off her glasses.

Her honest simple soul tainted, broken, and hungry,

For revenge.

 **A/N: hey guys batty here, hope you like the trailers so far. Since I wasn't clear about what their symbols are, Azurite symbol is angel wings dripping paint. Maelee symbol is a striped chameleon. Though you haven't met them yet, Rayce symbol is an eye, with a crescent moon instead of an iris. And Helio symbol is a handled mirror with a swan wrapped around the shattered glass. I have drawings of them but nowhere to post them, not really in to social media, so I don't have anything. Feel free to leave a comment telling me what you think all is welcome. Also check out my other fics, and sorry I haven't updated in a while just got finished with finals, now I have to pack up my dorm and head home for the break. But until next time,**

 **-Batty**

 **Ps. I am sure someone has said that quote before, but I couldn't find anyone specific, and I saw a quote similar to that but it had no one to give credit to, so I changed the words up a little and walah!**

Pss. Azurite (As-zur (like sir) right) Maelee (May-lee) Rayce(Race) Helio/Trope (Heel-lee-o) (true-rope). Just in case.


	3. Rayce Trailer

_Perhaps the crescent moon smiles in doubt at being told that it is a fragment awaiting perfection._

 _\- Rabindranath Tagore_

Rayce Trailer

The city of Oculi resided somewhere on the continent of Anima, where exactly? No one outside the city knew.

The city was hidden from all, people and grimm alike. The people there sustained their life all by their own hand, they grew their own food, lived a very unique lifestyle, and most important to them, they governed themselves. They liked to think of their city as the lost kingdom of Remnant.

They were special, different than most. They didn't look different, nor did they act different, but they did have something special about them. Everyone in the clan had a special hereditary semblance, one that if mastered could allow someone to see into the future. Though only one in the clan had ever mastered it, the founder of the clan from years ago.

The clan mostly tried to stick to its self, people do travel out of the clan from time to time, but they must be of high rank and have clan leader permission. Other than that travel outside the city is forbidden. Occasionally there is a visitor or two brought into the clan, by a member. Most of the visitors become residents, as they see the city as a secret sanctuary from the outside world, those who choose to leave have their memory's erased, by the clan leader. This is so that no one can discover their location.

They are strict here, every child after reaching the age of 8 has to begin training in the special art of their clan, a clan virtually unheard of to anyone not in it. The clan they call, The Third Kind.

The clan is old and said to have been built with magic, and that traces of the magic can still be seen in the clan till this day. Though the only thing one need do for proof is look at the clan leader, a man who can erase memory's and see into the future, a man who doesn't age.

People can be kicked out of the clan, if they do something bad enough. It has happened a few times. They get their memory erased, and are taken to a far enough distance from the city and left there, to fend for themselves.

Rest assured though, everyone loves it in the city of Oculi, well almost everyone.

"Why weren't you at meditation this morning?" Avi asked Rayce.

Avi is Rayce's mentor, he trains her, and helps her try to move up ranks. Everyone in the school here has a mentor, until they graduate with top rank, then they can become a mentor. Avi, was quite old, though you could never tell by just looking at him, he seemed merely 20, but he was well beyond that.

Rayce opened her eyes from where she lay stretched out on the floor. She lay next to the waterfall, only wearing a sports bra, and spandex shorts.

"What's the point?" she grumbled.

"Ray we've been through this, you can't move up to master rank until you unlock your semblance. It's just the rules. Coming to meditation might help speed up that process you know." he sighed, sitting next to her.

"That's so stupid, I'm the best in the class, possibly the best out of the master ranks too, and I haven't even unlocked my semblance yet, I should get a metal or something for everything I've accomplished just out of pure skill." She snapped sitting up.

"Don't be so arrogant, you still have much to learn. Come on combat training is about to start." He said standing.

"No, I'm not going to just go through the motions, you're not teaching me anything anymore, you stopped becoming useful to me two years ago. I want a new mentor, one who can actually teach me something." She said in a commanding tone, standing to face Avi.

To have a student disown you, is the biggest insult you can get. Still you get a chance to redeem yourself, by a dual.

"Fine, tonight we dual, if I win, you have to remain my student. And if you win, you get to ask the clan leader for a new mentor. I will see you then." He clipped his words, feeling hurt and betrayed.

"Finally." She grumbled walking back to her house.

She walked the dirt road through the vast city, bright green foliage could be seen all throughout the place. Small huts, and houses lined the streets. A few restaurants here and there, farm lands, and the large school of Kind in the center of the city. A large wall of trees hid the city from view.

She opened the door to her house, the aroma of freshly cooked food wafting around her nose. Her orange tabby cat running up to her and rubbing against her leg.

"How was meditation?" her mother asked.

"I wouldn't know, I didn't go." She said bluntly sitting at the table.

"What! Rayce what did I say about skipping sessions."

"It doesn't matter anymore, after tonight, I will have a new mentor and then I'll be able to move up a rank."

"New mentor? What's wrong with Avi?" her mother asked worried as she set a plate of food in front of Rayce.

"He isn't training me the way I want, he's all about meditation, and patience. But I just want to move up a rank already! I'm the best in our clan, everyone knows it, I've been undefeated for two years now mom. I'm ready, and he's holding me back." Rayce rants.

"Rayce kind, look at me. This is not the answer, look within yourself and feel for the truth. If you rush in to things big headed, it never ends well." Her mother frowned looking away from her.

"Is that what happened to my father?" Rayce shot back, standing to leave to her room.

She examined herself in the mirror, her long black hair, braided back in a sloppy loose braid, that falls to her hips. Purple eyes, filled with frustration. Her golden tan skin, tight showing off her every muscle. She was slightly shorter than average height, and very thin, and toned.

She turned and got dressed, putting on her combat outfit.

Black baggy pants, which she tucked in to her black boots that had a split toe, like a ninja shoes, and came to her knees. They had orange buckles on them, and were made out of leather. A black belt with an orange buckle. And an orange sports bra, that she covered with a black tank top sweater that cut off just above her stomach. She had on orange gloves that went from her elbow to her knuckles, leaving her fingers out. And an orange mask that only covered the bottom half of her face. She grabbed her orange scarf that had the clan symbol on it she tied around her waist, before placing her belt over it.

The clan symbol was and eye, that had two horns, and three lines dripping from the bottom lash. The iris replaces with a crescent moon.

She grabbed her weapon, which she so appropriately called Moonphase. And clipped the orange and black staff to the magnetic holster on her back, before heading out.

The moon was set to rise in just about an hour, when everyone in the clan would feel their power surge through them. There was something about the night fall that always enhanced all their skills and gifts here in the city of Oculi. It's why almost all duals were held at night, as to test everyone at the peak of their power.

She arrived at the arena half an hour early, watching the end of a previous dual.

For Rayce all she really cared about was being the best at everything. She trained day in and day out. She was skilled way beyond her years, and challenged anyone who said otherwise. She had no hobby, and no friends, in fact many of the girls and boys her age hated her. They despised her superior attitude and couldn't stand how she managed to be three ranks ahead of them without even unlocking her semblance yet.

For Rayce she was out to prove something, though she herself wasn't quite sure what that was. It was because of her father, the only man to be banished from the clan in the last hundred years. No one told her why he was banished, just that he was, and they all looked down on her in shame. She felt she had to make up for whatever his mistakes were, and prove she was better than him. Though he had a reputation for being the strongest warrior the clan has ever seen. She was determined to surpass him, and become the next strongest warrior in the clan.

She studied every fighter in the clan, she learned all their moves, and made them her own. she often could be found by the waterfall either meditating under the heavy current, or relaxing by the water bank. She never took an interest in romance, nor did she care that many around her age indulged in it. behind her back they called her Yiqi which in the clan was the name for outcast.

A couple of girls her age sat a few feet away from her, their 17-year-old minds quickly drifting over to her. Whispering rumors about her. Till one finally built up the courage.

"What poor soul is getting it today?" a girl asked.

Rayce ignored her, focusing in on the match she was watching.

"Just forget it, she thinks she's too good for us." Another girl complained.

Finally, Rayce turned to them with a sigh, her violet eyes sizing up each girl. They each froze, all secretly wanting Rayce's approval, and all secretly afraid of her.

"My mentor." She finally answered turning back to the match, which was over now.

"Your mentor! But that means-

"Yes, I disown him. Wish me luck." She forced a half smile, standing to make her way to the arena.

The girls immediately began to whisper and gossip, though Rayce didn't really care.

She was focused on one thing, winning.

Rayce fought many in her rank, and lower, and even a few in higher ranks, she always came out victorious. But she has yet to battle a master rank like Avi, it was time for the ultimate test. Was she better than someone with a master rank? She knew this fight might very well end her win streak, which was, as of last week, 53-0. She knew this was going to be her hardest match yet. But still she was confident she could win.

She jumped from the bleachers into the arena, and waited. She was a familiar face in the arena, she was always here, either watching or fighting. She had collected quite a following, many coming and watching her matches, placing bets on her victory. She knew tonight would be a spectacle.

She watched as many from her city filled the bleachers to the rim eager to see her fight. Though many clan leaders attended to see this, as a student hasn't disowned their mentor since her father was in her shoes. They were curious to see how his daughter was coming along.

Then Avi stepped into the arena, a hard serious look on his face. His coffee colored skin, nearly black under the moon light. Then the lights flicked on, illuminating the vast arena like it was some kind of sport event. People cheered and booed. But Rayce was serious now, blocking out everyone but Avi.

"Please don't do this, this isn't the way." Avi tried.

"It's too late for that now, I have to do this, for myself." She grabbed her staff off her back, and got into her signature fighting stance. Which she called crescent moon style. Her feet spread apart, her upper body curved at an angle, and her staff pointed outward.

Avi examined Rayce, and grew worried, he knew the girl was very skilled but he also felt she had much to learn. He knew she had a fair chance at beating him, but he felt he still had so much to teach her. He was determined to win, not only for his honor, but for the sake of Rayce as well.

The match official walked to the center of the arena, and held up his hand in the air. Rayce's grip on her staff tightened. Avi drew out his weapon, an Arabian sword. The official quickly brought his hand down, and jumped out of the way as Rayce made the first move.

She front flipped and landed on her left hand, twisting her body around. Sweeping Avi's feet from under him, and at the same time kicking him in the chin.

She used her staff as an anchor to propel herself into the air, coming down with a hard kick, which was blocked by Avi's sword. She back flipped and grabbed her staff, making a clean landing.

She broke her staff in half, transforming it into two shot guns. Clipping one to her back and holding the other one in arms pointing it at Avi.

Avi, quickly ran behind Rayce, sliding down doing the splits, and using the butt of his sword to jab her in the back of the knee. She stumbled forward and he capitalized jumping up and giving her a round house kick, sending her flying to the side.

She caught herself, sliding to a stop, and firing several rounds from her automatic shotgun, at Avi. He dodged running from side to side so quickly he seemed to vanish in and out of existence, as he ran towards her. She quickly combined the two shot guns together to form the staff, then pressed a button which changed the staff into a giant fan blade. Just in time to block Avi's sword attack.

The force of impact was so strong, she slid back a few feet.

She infused blue dust into her weapon, and twisted it causing sparks to fly between the two blades. She jumped up and dropped kicked Avi in the stomach, then landed and brought the fan down horizontally sending a wave of ice shards at him.

He spun his sword in a circle smashing every ice shard that came close to him.

He pulled out a pistol from his belt, and fired several times at Rayce who used the fan blade as a shield. She peaked around the edge of the blade to see why the bullets stopped coming, only for Avi to come up from the right of her and elbow her hard in the side, sending her rolling on the floor. Her weapon still anchored into the ground.

The aura meters on the screen show she was in the yellow, and Avi in the orange.

She used her arms to stand, twisting in the air, and kicking Avi back. He shot her several times knocking her aura into the orange.

She panted trying to catch her breath, sweat trickling down her forehead. She charged him head on, he used his semblance to dodge her every move. Though he hasn't quite mastered the ability to see into the future, his semblance still allows him great instincts, and the ability to predict ones moves, though he hardly needed it. he's known Rayce since she was 8, and practically knew all her moves by now.

He grabbed her by the forearm and flipped her to the floor, going in for the finishing move, she flipped back and out of his grasp, and ran for her weapon.

She tried to use her semblance but knew it was hopeless, she would never unlock it. she slid to her weapon, and split the huge blade in half, making two smaller swords with it.

Avi was already behind her, he grabbed her by the head and forced her to kneel to the ground, thin jumped up and went in for the finishing move.

Rayce rolled out of the way, transforming one of the swords into a shot gun and landing a direct hit on Avi who went flying back. The two stood catching their breath, both in the red zone, one final hit would decide the match.

The crowd was on the edge of their seat, biting their lips and eyes wide, wondering who would win.

As per tradition both fighters dropped their weapons once in the red zone, and the match would be decided by strict hand to hand combat.

Rayce knew she was going to lose unless she could predict his next move, she knew he could predict hers. She tried for her semblance again, but got nothing but a headache.

He ran toward her, she got ready, trying again. And in a split second she saw it, his move before he did it, she unlocked her semblance.

She ducked to dodge his kick and ended the match the way it began, balancing on one hand, and kicking Avi in the chin, sending him flying. His aura depleted.

The crowd was silent, they all knew she was good, but not that good.

She fell to her knees holding her head, her eyes glowing a bright lavender color. She screamed as she felt like her head was splitting into two.

The iris of her eye turned into a crescent moon, glowing purple, her pupal became elongated like a cat, and she saw it. the future.

But not just for a second, she saw flashes of things to come, past today or tomorrow. She saw the faces of people she has yet to meet and places she has yet to see. She felt so much pain, and sorrow she saw bloodshed and heard the screams of the innocent.

Her eyes rolled to the back of her skull, and she passed out.

When she came to, she was home in bed, her mother at her bedside. She sat up with a jolt.

"Easy," her mother warned.

"What happened?"

"I can't say for sure, but the whole town is a buzz about it. I was told to tell you the moment you woke up that the clan leader wants to see you." her mother frowned in worry.

Rayce's hair was down now, and she quickly pulled it up into a loose sloppy ponytail.

"Rayce, listen to me whatever he say's just agree. I can't lose you too." Her mother's eyes watered.

"Wait you think I'm going to be banished?" she asked, fear in her words.

"I don't know, but when this happened to your father, I never saw him again, it was right before you were born. Please just be careful." She let a tear fall.

"Mom, it's going to be okay. Whatever happens I'll always come back to you. you know I can handle anything." She gave a half smile, rubbing her pounding head.

"I know, I just worry is all." She sighed.

"Well don't, I should be back with in a couple hours." Rayce said getting up from bed, back in her spandex shorts and sports bra.

She got dressed in her average outfit, which was pretty much the exact same as her combat outfit minus the mask, and the sweater was long enough to cover her entire torso. She kissed her mother goodbye, and made the hour long trek to the clan leaders temple.

As she passed many hushed their conversation, and waited till she was out of earshot to continue. She ignored them.

When she finally got to the temple, she was exhausted. She slid open the temple doors and took off her shoes before continuing in. she made her way to the clan leader chambers and waited to be let in, when the doors opened for her, she quickly stepped inside, and bowed.

Atop of his thrown, sat clan leader, Atermir (at-uh-me-err). His hair was black as night, his eyes a dark blue color. He looked to be in his 20's but was much older than that.

"You may stand."

Rayce stood straight, looking him in the eyes.

"So you want a new mentor is that correct?" he asked.

"Yes, it was my original intent." She stated.

"Do you mean to say it has changed since your fight?"

"Yes, now I wish to be marked as master rank."

He was silent as he examined the girl his informants never stopped talking about. She was very much like her father.

"Master rank? You think you deserve such a title?"

"Yes, I do. I have fully unlocked my semblance, and even caught a glimpse into the future, which I am worried about."

"You saw into the future?"

"Yes it was right after my battle, I was caught off guard and overwhelmed so I passed out."

"Nobody but I, has ever glimpsed the future. Are you saying you and I are on the same level?" he asked, slightly accusing.

"You said it, not me. I am just telling you I'm done with this child's play; I want to be crowned master." She demanded.

He walked circles around her, sizing her up. He knew this day would come, just like her father, she had to be taught a lesson. No one threatens his leadership.

"I'll tell you the same thing I told your father, if you can find your way back here, and beat me in a dual, not only will you have master rank, but leadership of this clan. Do we have a deal?"

"What!?" she spun around too late, he grabbed her by the head, and his eyes lit up purple, and her vision slowly faded away along with her memory. Then everything went black.

When she awoke, she was laying on the ground in the middle of the forest, her weapon, and a bag of clothes beside her.

She stood up with a start, and examined her surroundings. She tried to remember what it was she was doing out here, or where she had come from but she simply could not recall. She only knew three things, one was she was a skilled warrior, two, she had to get home, and third her name was Rayce Kind and she was lost.

 **A/N: hey guys hope you like this new character trailer, one more to go. As for Rayce's outfit, well basically she looks like a ninja, I couldn't really describe the pants well. I'm thinking of making an account on tumbler so I can post the photos and you guys can see what I am seeing. But still working on it. if you have any questions or something wasn't clear leave it in the comments, all is welcome. Even though I am on break I am still hella busy. But I will post the last character trailer before I update my other fics, don't forget to check them out. Tell me what you think of our main protagonist so far, can you guess their inspiration, Rayce is based loosely off the Artimis the Greek goddess, and the clan leader is based off the Japanese moon god. It will be obvious what the next character is based off of. Azurite is based loosely off Pegasus and a combination of ink from the Marvel's Electra comics. Maelee isn't really based off anything, but if she reminds you of something let me know. but until next time,**

 **-Batty**

 **Ps. One thing I realized a too late one thing that wasn't clear was the city landscape. Basically the city of Oculi is next to mountain side where a waterfall, sits at the edge of the town. It's very rainforest like. in the mountain is a small dust deposit, and it is where everyone gets the dust to power the city and their weapons. The city is as big as vale I'd say, but looks more like Menagerie. The city is surrounded by large trees that not only block the city from view but hide the mountain and waterfall as well. Hope that helps.**


	4. HelioTrope Trailer

_The hardest battle you have to fight is between what you know and what you feel. – Somebody_

The Helio/Trope Trailer

Helio pulled the white tights over her toned legs. She tugged her curly blond locks back into a tight bun, and she slipped on her costume. Doing so in silence.

Her mind drifted to the argument her and her mother had this morning…

"I want to go to Haven academy, I want to be a huntress." She stated.

Her mother turned to her with boisterous laughter, grabbing her by the shoulder.

"Oh sweet heart, we've been through this. Dancing is what is right for you. look at you at the beginning of your career and already landing the lead role in this year's ballet. No to throw such talent away, would be a waste. I cannot allow this."

"But mom, I-

"Not another word, besides do you really think you can handle what lay out there? Helio, I am doing this for your own good. My poor precious baby, I couldn't stand to see you get hurt. You know this is for the best. Now come along you must not be late for the opening show." Her mother pushed her along.

There was a knock on her changing room door.

"Come in." Helio called.

"You nervous?" her fellow dancers asked.

"I don't know, are you?"

The girl sighed and leaned against the wall, her black tutu bending upward at an awkward angle. Helio couldn't help but let her eyes drift.

"Hell yeah, but I think I'll be okay." The girl smiled walking over to Helio.

She had red eyes, as a contrast to Helio's blue eyes. Her hair was black, and she seemed more seductive.

Helio felt her heart start to race, as the girl entered her personal space, when another knock came from the door.

"Five minutes!" called a stage hand.

She jumped in a start, the girl seemingly vanishing into thin air, as if she was never there to begin with.

Helio took a deep breath, and examined her face in her handheld mirror. One that had a swan embroider around its edge. The girl appeared behind her reflection and she dropped the mirror out of fright, cracking the glass.

"You scared me." Helio said.

"Sorry, looks like it's show time. See you out there." She winked.

She watched the girl leave, and bent down to pick up the mirror. She sighed noticing the cracked round edge. She set it neatly back on her vanity, placing it just right so that everything was nice and evenly disrupted. The she put on her white head piece, and walked to the stage.

She danced gracefully onto the stage, the crowd giving soft applause. She could see her mother in the front row, and smiled dancing her best to impress her.

Her muscles ached with every spin and twirl, her toes were numb, and her arms were stiff with the many poses she did. Still she worked her stiff arms into flawless bends, she used her aching legs to jump high into the air, and she balanced seamlessly on her numb toes.

She knew she was the best dancer there, but still she felt trapped in her own skin. And she could see her, the other girl, one who looked like a mirror image of her. Except she had black hair and red eyes.

She watched her dance and felt like she was watching a goddess. The girl antagonized her, luring her in to try and out dance her. Though Helio knew her moves were perfect and precise, there was something about the way Trope moved that had her jealous.

The two danced off, Helio trying to out prefect the perfection that is Trope. Trope drew a sword, and the fight began.

Helio jumped and twirled to dodge her attacks, using her ribbon baton as a weapon. She twirled it around her body and wrapped it around Trope pulling her close, Trope cut the ribbon, and lifted her up in the air before twirling her around and elbowing her in the gut.

Trope seemed to be stronger, better, prettier. The way Tropes hands touched her sent chills down her spin. Still she tried on, wrapping the ribbon on Tropes hand and yanking her to throw off her balance.

Trope spun towards her and yanked the ribbon, causing Helio to stumble forward. Trope smiled at her with a mocking grin, knowing she had this won.

Helio ran towards her and spun to kick her, but Trope appeared behind her grabbing her and holding her close.

The fight paused, as several white and black feathers fell from the ceiling, landing around them. Helio relaxed into Trope, her eyes becoming heavy. Trope ran her hands all over Helios body, claiming her prize.

The two seemed to merge into one, and the loud roaring applause startled Helio back to reality, as she stood posed and in her final move. The ballet was over.

After words she stood bored giving people her autograph. Smiling and telling all the little boys and girls that if they wanted to be like her to follow their dreams, though as she said it she felt cold ice settle in her heart.

This wasn't what she wanted, sure she was famous, and yes she was rich, but she felt trapped in this endless cycle of going through the motions and never feeling anything. She longed to feel something, a rush, a forbidden pleasure. She needed it.

"Helio dear, come here for a second." Her mother called.

"Coming mother." She sighed walking over to her mother and the several men that surrounded her.

"This is my talented daughter Helio, wasn't she just marvelous?" her mother bellowed.

"Yes very exquisite where ever did you learn to move like that." One of the younger men asked, getting in close to Helio.

"Well, I've been dancing since I could walk, it comes with practice I guess." She smiled kindly.

"I bet you must practice quite a lot." The man smiled rubbing his hand up her thigh.

Helio froze and looked to her mother for aid, but the woman was busy trying to impress the other men.

"Yes, I do." She frowned feeling gross, and stepping away.

"Well maybe you could show me sometime." He cooed not giving up, and pulling Helio in by the waist.

She looked down at the floor, feeling trapped, her eyes watering.

Then liked a switch was flipped she snapped her head up, her eyes red, the man looked at her in fascination. She smiled at him, and grabbed his crotch squeezing hard, he nearly yelled out loud in pain. Then she let go and walked off. He glared off at her. Trying hard to keep his composure.

That night she stared out her window, the academy right in her line of sight. She sighed.

"You should just go," Trope said appearing on her bed, crossing her legs.

"I can't mother will be mad, she says it's forbidden." Helio sighed.

"Forbidden things are the best things. Just go, it's not like she can stop you. you can do whatever you want now. You are old enough." Trope stood wrapping her arms around Helios neck, from behind.

"But I should just do what mother says, she knows what's right for me."

"Does she? Because I think she's just holding you back."

"But what about the show, I have to preform it for the next month, I can't just leave after opening night." She frowned at their refection in the window pan.

"They have an understudy; she can take your role. Come on, be wild, live a little. I'll even go with you if you'd like." she whispered in her ear.

"You will?"

"Of course, look at it, it wants you. it calls you. don't let this chance fly by like all the others. Helio, stop waiting for your destiny to come to you, you have to run towards it."

"Yeah, you're right. I have to do this," Helio stood,

"Helio, who are you talking to?" her mother asked opening the door.

"I was talking to- no one." She said after examining the room and finding no one there.

"Well I'm going out, try to get some rest. I'll see you in the morning okay." Her mother smiled patting her on the shoulder, before exiting the room.

That night Helio packed all her bags, and a little bit of money, and ran away to Haven academy, where she knew her destiny awaited her.

 **A/N: hey guys sorry this one is short, but I really just wanted to get it out there. Hope you like it. can you guess what her inspiration is, if you said swan lake ballet then you'd be right. I know it can be a little confusing but Helio and Trope are the same person. Trope is Helio's alternate self, she is actually her semblance. Please leave a comment telling me what you think all is welcome. I will be updating my other fics before I update this one again, I'll try not to have too long of a wait two to three weeks at the most, and two to three days at the least. Now that we have our team, it's time to see how they get along, I have a feeling a certain warrior might but heads with a certain artist and a certain ballerina. But who knows right, right? Anyways, a lot more to come soon. If you guys have any questions about anything be sure to leave them in the comments. But until next time,**

 **-Batty**


	5. Vol 1 Chapter one: A Watery Start

Chapter one: A watery start

"As you can probably tell, I will be the new head master this year. Our recent headmaster has fallen ill and I shall take his place. My name is Medu Fidi, but you can call me Medu. You may have heard of the way he ran this school, rest assured I am not him. This year we will be doing things my way. Of course that being said, how could I break tradition. What you are standing on is a platform that will launch you into the forest that is littered with grimm. it is your job to get through the forest and bring me back a relic which will be located near the lake at the sacred shrine. The first person you make eye contact with shall be your partner for the next four years of your huntsmen school days. Anyone who doesn't make it back with a relic, shall not be permitted to attend school here. I do not tolerate failure. Now let's get started you will each have to use a landing strategy if you want to make it to the ground safely. Good luck." Medu finished.

Each of the new students stood on top of a platform, ready for action. A blond monkey Faunus smiled with confidence, a blue haired guy next to him gulped, and moved his goggles to cover his eyes.

Medu was a fairly good looking woman, tall, thin, and fair skin. Her hair a mass of brown ringlet curls that cascaded all the way down to her lower back. She wore sunglasses, which she never seemed to take off even indoors.

The first to be launched into the forest was Rayce, her long black hair pulled up into a sloppy ponytail. She wore a blank expression and looked bored with her situation. Everyone watched in awe as she spun in the air, seemingly showing off.

"Show off." The blond Faunus smirked.

The next to be launched was a dark skinned green haired guy, he was muscular and seemed serious.

Azurite watched as one by one everyone was launched into the air. She noted the girl who was last in line was very young and practically shaking in her shoes as she looked at how far she had to fall. Azurite stared at her chameleon tail with fascination, it's stripes and color unlike anything she'd ever seen, and she'd seen a lot.

"Um excuse me miss Medu, what do you mean exactly by landing strategy?" Helio asked.

Azurite smirked at the blond ballerina, 'Oh this should be good, looks like prima ballerina should have stayed home.' Azurite faced forward as she was launched into the air quickly using her semblance to bring the massive wings tattoo on her back to life and fly to safety, the audible oows and ahs she heard made her smile.

"I suggest you figure it out soon my dear sweet Helio, perhaps you should have stayed on the stage where you belong." Medu frowned.

Helio glared at her, and got into a pose before being launched into the air.

Maelee shut her eyes tightly, taking in a deep breath.

"Relax, you got this." She heard the red headed guy next to her say.

She opened her eyes to see he wasn't talking to her, but to himself. She flinched as he was launched into the air.

Before the young 13-year-old could prepare herself she was launched into the sky.

She screamed and her heart rate increased triggering her backpack, which turned into a jetpack, slowly descending to the ground. She sighed in relief.

Rayce made her way to the lake, not that she knew where it was, just she had a pretty good hunch. Which may have something to do with her semblance she has no control of.

To say Rayce was frustrated would be a major understatement. She searched aimlessly for two weeks before finally giving up and coming here, she was led here by some travelers who said that the headmaster might be able to help her. So she came, only to be enrolled into school and put through test she saw as pointless. She had a strange sense of déjà vu but didn't know why.

She trekked through the bright green foliage and was met with a sense of longing, for place she wanted to call home. except she had no idea where home was or how to find it, just bits and fragments she could never piece together.

Azurite examined her surroundings just like Irene taught her, 'never run in blind, always check before you leap.' She looked around carefully when the sounds of a jetpack drew her attention, she hid behind a tree. And watched as the young girl landed safely.

'Chameleon girl huh, better check my other options before making a choice.' She turned and came face to face with a beawolf.

The grimm attacked her, sending her flying back into a tree, feet away from Maelee. Maelee looked down at the tattooed girl, their eyes met, just before the beawolf howled and called its friends.

Maelee lent Azurite a hand, helping her up.

"Thanks." Azurite huffed.

Azurite dusted herself off, before drawing her laser gun. She held it with both hands cop style, and fired several times, killing the beawolf.

"We better get out of here." She said turning to Maelee who nodded without saying a word.

"Watch out!" Helio cried as she came tumbling down into the forest.

Rayce side stepped and continued to walk as Helio crashed down where Rayce was just standing.

"Oaf." Helio grimaced as she stood to her feet.

"Sorry about that, I didn't mean to you know come crashing down. I was just unprepared I guess you can say. Uh hey wait up!"

"Leave me alone." Rayce glowered, not turning to look at the ballerina.

"But, we are supposed to be partners." She pouted.

"Did I look at you? No. So technically we are not partners." Rayce grumbled continuing on.

"Well why not, I mean you're here, I'm here. Might as well right?"

"No."

Helio frowned and stomped after Rayce.

"Stop following me."

"I'm not." She lied.

"Yes you are."

"How do you know?"

"Because I can hear your footsteps behind me."

"How do you know it's not from the grimm, if you haven't turned to look, how do you know I'm not in a tree or something?"

"Nice try." Rayce rolled her eyes and kept walking.

"Forget it, this one is a lost cause." Trope sighed.

"You're telling me, talk about stuck up." Helio agreed.

Rayce paused in confusion, wondering why the girl was talking to herself.

"Oh maybe we can find that hunky blond guy, the one with the tail."

"Yeah, he seemed nice." Helio smiled.

"Stop talking to yourself." Rayce said turning around.

"Ah ha got you!" Helio said victorious.

Rayce examined the blond ballerina, in her white tutu and pink bow. Her hair pulled back into a tight bun. Rayce suddenly recalled her vision, well part of it. she remembered seeing this place, she remembered seeing Helio before in her vision of the future. In fact, she remembered this exact moment.

She stood there confused for a moment.

Helio examined Rayce's toned and tan body. Her ninja like outfit. Her amazing violet eyes. She blushed, her heart smitten instantly.

"Have we met before?" Rayce asked confused.

What? No, I think I would remember someone like you." Helio blushed adverting her gaze.

Rayce shook her head confused before continuing on Helio walking beside her.

"What's your name?" Azurite asked Maelee.

"Call me Mae." She said in a whisper.

"May huh well I'm azurite, but since we are going to be partners and all you can call me Zuri." Azurite smiled.

Maelee looked to the floor, her eyes taking on a sad sullen look.

"Hey what's wrong?" Azurite asked.

"Nothing." She lied.

Azurite frowned. 'She's got my attention I'll give her that." Azurite sighed and the two pressed on.

"Oh! we should tell each other about ourselves." Helio said doing a twirl.

"No."

"Aw why not?"

"Can you just stay quiet, or something?" Rayce complained.

"No way we are partners now, so might as well be friends right?"

"No."

Helio made a lop sided frown, letting out a frustrated huff.

Rayce continued on unfazed.

"I'm Helio by the way, what's your name?" Helio asked.

"Rayce. Rayce kind…" Rayce frowned.

It was the only real info she had about herself, and it made her feel vulnerable to tell someone.

"Awesome, now we are on a first name basis already. See we are friends."

"No. we are not, nor will we ever be friends." Rayce said seriously, turning to face Helio.

"Why?" Helio asked also serious.

"I'm not here to make friends or even be a huntress whatever the hell that is, I just want answers and I'll do whatever it takes to get them. I suggest you stay out of my way." She spat turning to leave.

"Answers? What do you need answers for?" Helio asked.

"What do you not understand! Just leave me alone!"

Helio flinched at Rayce's tone, which echoed through the forest.

A rhino grimm charged Rayce from behind, lifting her off the floor and smashing her into a tree.

"Rayce!"

"Get it off!" Rayce cried out.

It snorted and growled slamming into her over and over. Helio got out her ribbon baton and twirled it in the air, it was loaded with red dust so a red fiery swirl was made in the air. She twirled the ribbon like she was dancing, and flicked it into the Grimm's direction, the fire spiral darting towards the grimm and blasting it back.

Rayce slid to the floor with a grunt of pain.

"Rayce are you okay?"

She stood up furious now, she drew out her staff and charged the grimm head on.

Helio watched Rayce twist around the grimm almost like she was dancing as she continued to hit and dodge. She wacked the grimm so hard a smacking sound bounced off the trees, the grimm flew back and hit a tree getting back up and charging.

Rayce transformed her weapon into its fan blade mode slicing the beast in two.

"Wow that was amazing! We should dance together!" Helio said with excitement.

"What?"

Helio grabbed Rayce and twirled her around trying to dance with her.

"Let go! What are you doing? Stop!" Rayce complained.

The two stumbled back and fell to the floor, Rayce landing on top of Helio.

"Uh, okay…" azurite said walking over to the two on the floor.

"It's not what you think." Helio quickly said in her defense.

Rayce growled and stood up, turning to Helio.

"The hell is wrong with you? you have something wrong up here or something. What part of leave me alone doesn't click huh?" Rayce pointed to her head.

"Sorry I just thought…"

"Well you thought wrong!" Rayce shouted and turned back to get her weapon off the floor.

Helio felt her eyes water, 'We'll never be friends she hates me.'

"Hey that was uncalled for, you should apologize." Azurite glared at Rayce.

"And you should mind your own business."

Rayce stomped ahead leaving Helio with azurite and Maelee.

"Hi I'm Helio." She forced herself to say on the verge of tears.

"Azurite, and this is May, who was that and why is she a jerk." Azurite asked.

"That's Rayce, um she said she is just here for answers. I didn't mean to make her mad I just wanted to get to know her. Now I've ruined it, mother was right about me. I guess I'm only good for one thing after all." Helio sighed.

"Hey cheer up, you can't quit because of one bad experience. Come on you can walk with us." Azurite offered.

"Really?!"

Azurite looked to Maelee who gave a light smile and nodded.

"Oh thank you! huh-" Helio cut herself off midsentence as she noticed a piece of Maelee's hair was out of place.

She grabbed it and pushed it back, her eyes focused in concentration.

"Sorry, it was bothering me, anyways we should probably head to the shrine."

"Right…" azurite trailed off raising an eye brow.

Maelee looked to azurite both of them wearing expressions that said, what did we get ourselves into.

Rayce jumped from tree to tree, staying out of sight. She approached the shrine with caution, before falling from the tree with a start as she remembered a similar shrine, yet she didn't know where it was from or how she knew about it. just that she had seen a similar shrine once.

She carefully walked over to the shrine where different types of flowers lay. She examined them all before taking the purple narcissus. She carefully placed it into the pouch strapped to her belt resting at the base of her back.

She stared off into the lake, feeling once again a sense of familiarity, she looked up expecting a waterfall, but saw nothing. She sighed and walked over to the water, gazing at her peaceful reflection.

"Who are you?" she asked the reflection.

The wind blew rippling the water. She felt her eyes water, as she crumbled and fell to her knees.

'What am I doing here? Who am I? where am I? where am I supposed to go? Who am I supposed to be? Where was I born? Why can't I remember anything?' she held back her sobs as she slammed her fist the ground over and over. Letting her tears fall.

The lake rippled and the wind stopped. She glanced up and saw the water seemingly come alive, as a Geist possessed the water using it to take on form.

Rayce jumped back, wiping her tears and she drew out her staff. The lake seemed alive as it formed a fist and hit Rayce dead on, sending her flying back. She dug her staff into the ground using it to catch herself.

Azurite walked over to the shrine, before noticing the commotion, as Rayce slid back firing off her dual wielded shotguns. In fact, quite a small crowd had gathered to watch Rayce fight off the grimm debating on whether or not they should step in.

"Should we help her?" azurite asked both Maelee and Helio.

Rayce charged the grimm head on jumping up really high and shooting for its mask. It slammed her back with a giant water hand, slapping her to the ground.

Maelee worried she had never fought a grimm like that before. After her father's death she did nothing but train to get into this school. Still she was a novice compared to everyone else. She had little to no experience fighting the creatures of grimm.

They watched as the grimm lifted Rayce into the air, forming a water bubble around her. She gasped for air only to gurgle water.

"Well I think that's our cue. May you and I will take it from both sides, Helio distract it." azurite ordered.

"Got it." Helio nodded.

"Um…"

"Come on!" azurite yelled cutting off Maelee.

Rayce kicked around trying to get free, panic setting in. she could feel her lungs burning as she screamed for air. She saw a head of neon green hair headed her way before she passed out.

Azurite shot blue lasers at the water, freezing it solid. Helio twirled her ribbon sending ice shards at the Geist. Maelee ran in, her heart racing, her back pack activated two large mechanical arms coming out, one with a gun tip, the other with a large fan blade tip.

Maelee felt two small controllers pop out of the backpack straps both of them sticking straight out with several buttons on them. She put her hands on them and pressed the large red buttons at the same time. Activating the jetpack. A helmet popped out and plopped on her head an eye piece coming down in front of her glasses, acting as a targeting mechanism. She pressed another button with her index finger and the gun began to fire.

'Oh okay nice and steady now, whoa okay easy does it. come on.' Maelee focused trying to maintain balance while in the air.

Helio ran in from the front, her ribbon stiffening and turning into a sword. Her hair turned black as well as her clothes. Her eyes turned red as well as the ribbon which was once pink.

"Hey ugly!" Trope called.

The Geist turned towards her, and she sliced the water as it came for her.

Azurite turned Rayce's water bubble into ice, using her semblance to bring to life the tattoo on her knuckles, which was brass knuckles with the word pow on them. She shattered the bubble, Rayce falling into the lake.

Maelee fired at the mask, it moving at the last second.

Azurite went for Rayce, but was hit from the side, and blasted back to the shore. She cursed under her breath.

"Helio! Save Rayce!" she ordered

"roger that, and the names trope." Trope smirked as she leaped over the next attack from the Geist and landed with a graceful pose, before diving into the water.

Maelee finally got one shot in, just nicking the mask. The grimm growled and turned its full attention to her. The fan blade began to spin and went at the water sawing at it.

While it was distracted azurite pointed her gun switching to red dust and fired. The mask finally shattered killing the grimm, the water falling back down with a loud roar.

Trope swam to the bottom of the lake grabbing onto Rayce and pulling her up. She dragged her out of the water and laid her on the shore.

Rayce's hair stuck to her face, the water leaving a sheen on her golden skin. Her mouth slightly parted, her eyes closed peacefully.

"Is she okay?" Azurite asked running over to them.

"She's not breathing." Trope said trying to catch her breath.

Maelee slowly landed on the floor, her backpack deactivating.

"Do something." Azurite huffed.

Trope started to give Rayce CPR, pushing her chest down three times before breathing into her mouth. She repeated the process twice before Rayce shot up and coughed up water.

"Are you okay?" Trope asked.

Rayce nodded trying to catch her breath.

"Good." She smiled before slapping Rayce across the face.

The sound caused Maelee to flinch.

"The hell was that for?" Rayce asked rubbing her now red cheek.

"That's for not letting Helio go with you." then she shoved her back to the ground.

"And that's for being an over confident idiot. Were you trying to get yourself killed!"

"She's right taking on that thing alone, what were you thinking?" Azurite asked.

"Whatever, I didn't need anyone's help I had it." she complained standing up.

Trope slapped her again and stomped off with a humph.

Rayce glared after her and slowly went to pick up her weapons.

Azurite sighed and went to pick out a flower, grabbing the first one that caught her eye, a purple one. She looked at Maelee who smiled and nodded offering to hold it in her bag.

Rayce went after Trope, wanting to pick a fight. But instead she found Helio waiting for her. She tackled her with a hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Trope told me everything. Don't scare me like that."

"Trope?" she said pushing Helio off of her.

"Yeah didn't you see her, black hair, red eyes?"

"Wasn't that you?"

"No it was Trope, we look the same. She's more up front though, she can be pretty um blunt."

"Oookay, whoever it was, you, Trope I don't care touch me again and your dead."

"Geez that's harsh, people must love you back at home." Azurite said approaching from behind.

Rayce paused and looked at her, Helio saw the vulnerable look in her eyes, the uncertainty, the anger.

"Come on you two we are burning day light!" Azurite called over her shoulder as she and Maelee walked ahead.

"Rayce." Helio called when she saw Rayce still hadn't moved.

Rayce wiped a tear before following the group silently.

"You okay?" Helio asked.

"No."

"Is there something I can do to help?"

"No."

"Are we friends yet?" Helio asked hopeful.

"No."

"Do you say anything else but no?" Azurite teased.

"Yeah, I can say fuck off just fine." Rayce spat.

"What the hell is your problem she saved your life the least you can do is be grateful." Azurite stopped and faced Rayce.

"Why don't you go bother someone else huh. I don't recall asking you to bother me."

"And I don't recall you saying thank you."

"Do you have a problem with me?"

"Yeah I do have a problem with ungrateful entitled assholes." Azurite stepped in closer to Rayce the two face to face now.

"That's enough come on we should keep going." Helio said trying to defuse the situation.

"Tsk this coming from the girl who looks like an alleyway threw up on her." Rayce spat.

"What did you say!" Azurite grabbed Rayce by the collar.

"Please stop, don't fight." Maelee tried though she was scared to get involved.

Rayce pushed Azurite off, before kicking her in the jaw, sending her flying into a tree.

"That's how I handle my problems." Rayce said before starting to walk away.

A laser shot to the back stopped her.

"Don't fight, come on, please." Helio begged.

Rayce drew out her staff and turned to face Azurite. Azurite wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and loaded up yellow dust into her laser gun.

Rayce felt a sense of duty wash over her, like she had to uphold something. What? She didn't know, but she knew losing would mean losing whatever it was she was subconsciously trying to uphold. A piece of her, she had yet to remember. She knew she couldn't lose.

Azurite hated people like Rayce, arrogant assholes who think they are entitled to the world. She was itching to teach Rayce a lesson.

The two squared off, sizing the other up. Azurite was the first to react firing off a few rounds. Rayce dodge every shot, like she knew where it would hit before Azurite even pulled the trigger. Which of course she did.

Rayce curved her body using the momentum of her movements to swing her staff and land a direct hit on Azurite.

Azurite cursed and tried to stand only to have Rayce do a flip in the air and bring her staff down hard on her back making a slapping sound.

"Leave her alone!" Maelee shouted feeling brave.

Rayce kicked Azurite hard in the side, before scoffing and turning to leave.

"Not even worth my time." She spat walking past Maelee who ran to Azurite's aid.

"We're not done here!" azurite yelled standing up.

"I am, when you possess some inkling of skill then come find me. Till then fuck off."

Azurite let her anger get the best of her firing off several rounds in Rayce's direction, each round missed.

Rayce turned around and transformed her weapon into a shotgun firing at Azurite accidently hitting Maelee, who's backpack put up a shield to block.

"That's enough both of you!" Helio cried out.

Rain drops fell from the sky slowly at first then fast.

"Just great." Rayce complained.

Maelee let a sob escape her lips before running off alone.

"Hey wait where you going!?" Azurite shouted.

"Look what you did!" Azurite shouted.

"What I did, look what _you_ did!"

"Stop it!" Helio said shoving Rayce back.

Rayce went to hit her but stopped seeing Helio's broken expression.

"Stop it, you idiot! All your doing is hurting everyone who wants to help you." Helio cried.

"Well I didn't ask for your help or anyone's help! I just wanted to be left alone!" Rayce cried.

"You deserve to be alone; I hope you rot in hell one day." Azurite spat jogging off after Maelee.

Maelee sat camouflaged in a tree covering her ears crying. She hated the rain, ever since that day. She wanted to make friends to start over, yet it seemed like only malice and trouble followed her wherever she went.

'What was I thinking coming here, this was a bad idea.' Maelee sniffled.

"May! Where are you?" Azurite shouted looking around.

She heard a soft sniffling and sighed.

"Please come out, I'm sorry. It's just that girl really pushes my buttons, I didn't mean to upset you."

She scanned the trees coming across a spot where the rain didn't fall. She climbed up the tree and sighed.

"Hey."

Maelee appeared looking up at azurite with wet foggy glasses.

"Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing, I don't want to talk about it." she whimpered.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"Hey come on, what are partners are for, starting today I'm always going to be there for you. you can tell me anything."

"You will?"

"Yep, just promise you can be there for me. We have to take care of each other now. You see I don't really have anyone, I'm an orphan. I've been staying with this woman who was taking care of me, but now that I went away she went back home and left me all alone again. I know this is a lot to take in, but I want you to trust me. What do you say partner?"

"Partners." Maelee smiled, realizing her and azurite were more alike than she thought.

"Come on let's get back to the school."

The two hopped off the tree and made their way back to the school.

Rayce walked towards the school Helio a few steps behind her. Neither saying a word.

"You should apologize when we get back." Helio said.

Rayce ignored her.

Helio frowned at her ballet shoes getting wet, she realized she was going to have to figure something out with her combat outfit, a tutu wasn't the best choice.

"You don't have to do it alone you know." Helio frowned.

Rayce continued to ignore her.

Helio finally sighed and gave up.

They each made it back to the school without incident. They turned in their relics and waited for the ceremony.

Rayce stood alone, arms crossed, gazing out from the balcony. She searched the landscape looking for answers to question she didn't know she was asking. Still she found nothing.

Helio stared at Rayce curious but also frustrated, trying to get through to Rayce was like trying to first learn the move adage, impossible.

Azurite sat with Maelee in the waiting area, sketching on a sketch pad, Maelee tinkered with her backpack, trying to learn its every nook and cranny.

Finally, Helio sighed and walked over next to Rayce who glanced at her in annoyance.

"It's beautiful right?"

Rayce looked at the bright green foliage, the dark clouds and the drizzle of rain. The high end houses and mansions, the paved streets and the peaceful civilians. She found herself asking what did it all mean.

"I don't know." she finally answered honestly.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't say for sure if it's beautiful if I have nothing to compare it to."

"You mean you are from mistral?"

"No, well actually I don't know, but I don't think so."

Helio eyed Rayce with curiosity.

"What do you mean, you can't remember where you come from?"

"It's more than that. I don't even know who I am." Rayce felt her eyes water and she turned her head so Helio couldn't see.

"Did something happen to you?"

"I don't know."

"Well where are your parents?"

"I don't know; I don't know anything. Who am I! I came here for answers, but I don't even know what to ask." She clenched her fist keeping her head away from Helio.

Helio smiled and grabbed Rayce's chin forcing her to look at her.

"We have that in common. You see I don't really know who I am either. I only thought I did. I came here to find myself, to become my own person. I know you're hurting, but you don't have to go it alone. We're partners now, and as your partner I can promise I will do everything in my power to help you figure this out. There is no rush, try slowing down, take your time. Soon the answers will come. Or so I heard." Helio laughed nervously rubbing the back of her head.

Rayce felt like she had heard words similar to this before, but she couldn't place it. she smiled gratefully at Helio, before turning away with a frown,

"I'm sorry for everything, and thank you. Can we start over?" she asked, outstretching her hand without turning to look at Helio.

"I'm Rayce kind."

"Helio Swan." She smiled a light blush on her cheeks taking Rayce's hand.

…

"Team AMRH(Amaranth) made up of Azurite Isadora, Maelee Smith, Rayce Kind, and Helio Swan. Led by Azurite Isadora." Medu announced. The crowd clapping.

Azurite shot Rayce a glare who returned the favor. Helio sighed, and Maelee adjusted her glasses, keeping her head down. The four calmly walked off stage. Where arguments quickly ensued.

"Great should have figured you would be on my team."

"Yeah like I want to be on a team with you either. I mean whose bright idea was it to put cabbage head in charge." Rayce complained turning to Helio.

"What did you call me!"

"You heard me, lettuce brain."

"Who taught you how to insult someone anyways? A toddler." Azurite snorted.

Rayce shot her a glare, before ignoring her all together.

"Uh, how about we go check out our new dorm, I heard the rooms are killer here." Helio said changing the subject.

"That sounds like a good idea." Maelee tried.

For now, the subject was dropped and the new team headed to their room.

"Wow! It's even better than I imagined" Helio cooed.

The dorm was like a mini house they were greeted with a small living room and a tiny kitchen. All of which were fully furnished. There were two bedrooms each with two beds, two desk, a night stands with a lamp, two closets', and one bathroom. The bathroom had a shower and a toilet, with one mirror and sink.

"I guess we share a room with our partners, come on may, I call this one." Azurite smiled

She nodded dumbly, eyes wide with wonder. This was just like she always dreamed, always imagined haven would look like.

Rayce strode into the other room claiming the bed on the left. She set her one bag down and sat on her bed. Helio also set her one bag down with a sigh, wishing she had packed more. If she looked out the window she could make out her house from here.

Azurite quickly got to work decorating her side, art posters, and colorful drawings. She changed out her comforter with a black one covered in paint splatter. She hummed to herself as she melodically began to unpack and put up her clothes and stuff. Quickly covering her desk with tons of art supplies.

Maelee watched in fascination as half of the room seemed to come alive with color and art. She followed Azurite actions and began to unpack as well.

Rayce stared out at the moon, the rain subsided. she felt drawn to it. like it somehow held all the answers.

"What are you looking at?" Helio asked.

"The moon."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Helio watched Rayce with curiosity. Her faced flushed as she watched Rayce in her now sports bra and spandex shorts stare out the window, the moonlight illuminating her toned tan body. Seemingly bringing to life her once dull violet eyes, now lit with a new light. Rayce's long black hair was down and it fell to her waist. Helio found her very attractive to say the least.

'Damn it should be a crime to be that good looking' Trope piped up.

Helio quickly looked to Rayce to see if she had heard Trope but Rayce seemed unfazed.

'Will you be quiet, what if she hears you!' Helio hissed in her mind.

'Oh come on, I know you want to tap that how could you not. She is smoking!'

'I do not! We just barely met, that would be weird.'

'Pa-leassss she doesn't even know herself, so technically you already know everything about her.'

'Quiet, I will not try to sleep with her. She is my partner, and I want to be friends. I can't ruin it.'

'Chicken, if it were me, I wouldn't hesitate to pounce all over that sexy ass.'

'Trope! That's enough. Besides it's not you it's me, so keep dreaming.'

'Fine, make nice. But if you wait too long, it won't be long before someone else sees that beautiful untouched gem, and they pounce.'

Helio sighed coming back to reality as Rayce turned to stare at her. She froze up, being caught staring.

"Goodnight." Rayce said, the same bored scowl on her face.

"N-night!"

Maelee watched Azurite yawn before walking into the bathroom. Maelee noticed the artist already made herself at home. Maelee took out a picture of her and her father setting it on her desk. She let her fingers graze the frame before turning away with watered eyes.

She walked over to the lamp and flicked it off, laying down to go to sleep.

 **A/N: hey everyone sorry for the wait. New semester new schedule, hopefully more time to write. Anyways hope you liked the first day with our new team, tell me what you guys think so far. All is welcome. Also a little curious to see what kind of ship names you guys can come up with for this, leave it in the comments. Don't forget to check out my other rwby fics, which I will be updating soon I promise. If you guys have any oc's you want me to put in here, leave me a comment. Also something in particular you want to see before anything else let me know. as of now, I plan on Maelee's story line on being the main focus villain wise, with Rayce's story being the secondary story, like how in Rwby cinder as the main villain with Blake as the secondary story line (in the beginning), if you see what I'm saying. Helio will be a background story like how Weiss's family history is really back ground. Eventually we will go into Azurites back story which will take over the main story after Maelee's story has played out. But if there is something you want to see first, like Azurites backstory before Maelee's story or having Helio be more secondary while Rayce gets more background let me know. nothing is set in stone, but that is my plan as of now. Also hope you got that team sssn cameo in the beginning. But really I am open to suggestions with this. Anyways until next time,**

 **-Batty**


	6. Vol 1 Chapter Two: Prove it to Me

Chapter Two: Prove It to Me

"I'm not wearing this." Rayce frowned at her school uniform before throwing it to the floor.

"Why not I think, they're uh, they're uh, hmm…" Helio trailed off.

"Exactly."

"You two ready yet?" Azurite said barging in without knocking.

Azurite noticed the two were both still in their sleep wear, Rayce's uniform on the floor. She frowned.

"Seriously, we have class in like 20 minutes."

"I can't where this either." Helio sighed in defeat setting hers back down.

"What, why? You have to, look I'm wearing it."

Azurite had on the black, white and grey uniform, it looked strange on her, her worn and torn combat boots sticking out like a sore thumb. Her half shaved head of neon green, and pink hair down like usual. She was absently playing with her lip ring.

"Yeah you only prove my point more." Rayce said flopping on the bed.

"I like it." Maelee said timidly.

She was used to always wearing a uniform, the only difference was this once was a lot darker than the one she usually wore. She thought her blue glasses gave it a nice pop.

"You two are going to make us late on the first day suck it up and put it on."

"Yeah no, I'm not wearing it." Rayce insisted.

"You have to, look I'm team leader and I say just wear it."

Rayce burst out into a sarcastic laugh.

"What's so funny?" Azurite asked, annoyed already, and clenching her jaw.

"It sounded like you said you were my leader, wow good one. Really I didn't know you were so hilarious." Rayce finished deadpanning at the end.

"I am the leader, we had the ceremony yesterday, or did you forget."

"Look street rat, I'm not going to call you leader. Not now, not ever, kay, so just get that out of your head."

"What did you call me!" Azurite stepped in dangerously close to Rayce.

"I don't stutter so I suggest you get your ears checked." Rayce said standing toe to toe with Azurite.

"Okay! Well look at the time, we should probably get dressed, don't want to be late." Helio said trying to defuse the situation.

"You're really asking for it." Azurite spat.

"Get out of my face, before I make you."

"Guys, cut it out." Maelee tried.

When Azurite moved away, Rayce let out a satisfied huff, grabbing her uniform off the floor, and turning to go to the bathroom.

"I hate her." Azurite said after the bathroom door shut.

"She's not so bad, she's just um… obstinate." Helio said scrunching her face in concentration trying to find the right word.

"Whatever the hell that means. How can we be a team, if she's ugh. If we were in a battle I wouldn't trust her to have my back. In fact, she'd probably feed me to the beowolves." Azurite shuddered.

"Trust me the feelings mutual." Rayce said coming out of the restroom in uniform.

Her hair was pulled back into a loose sloppy braid, her face in its usual scowl. Instead of her typical ninja boots she always wears, she was wearing the shoes that came with the uniform, and the long grey socks that came to her knees.

Helio blushed.

"You know whether you like it or not, I'm the leader of this team, which means you and I are going to have to get along."

"You've done nothing to prove to me you are even worthy of my words, let alone worthy of my followship. You couldn't even last a few seconds with me in a one on one match. Till you prove to me that there is something about you worth noticing; I'm not going to acknowledge you as "leader" now if you please stop wasting my time." Rayce said pushing past Azurite.

"Fine, like I need your approval anyway! Who even says followship." Azurite called after Rayce, mumbling the end to herself.

"I guess I'll get dressed then. Don't want to be late," Helio sighed grabbing her uniform and heading into the bathroom.

Azurite sighed and looked to Maelee.

"What do you think, am I "worthy"" she asked.

Maelee gave a light chuckle. "I think so, but you might have to prove it to short fuse."

"Short fuse! Why didn't I think of that? That's gold. Good one. But who needs her right? It's not like we can't function by ignoring her."

Maelee gave her a knowing look.

"Okay, okay. I'll think of something to get short fuse to cooperate, even if I have to tie her down until she agrees."

Maelee sighed.

Helio slowly came out of the restroom a frown on her face.

"This thing is hideous, and why is there only a stripe on one arm. That is so frustrating! It's so uneven! I hate it!"

"Calm down prima ballerina, it's just for school. Come on, I think grumpy already left."

Helio pouted and grabbed her bag, walking to class with Azurite and Maelee. They didn't get very far however as a commotion was blocking the hall.

"What's going on?" Azurite asked some guy who was standing off to the side.

He wore his uniform, he had dark ebony skin, and dark chocolate eyes. His hair breaded back in cornrow.

"Some bullies are picking on this girl." He said stepping aside so Azurite could see.

"Come on, just a peek. Show us what you got under that skirt pretty girl." A group of guys harassed Rayce.

"Get away from me or else."

"That's pretty tough talk for a girl, I mean you can't take all four of us on."

"You wanna bet. Bring it ape"

"What did you call me! That's it, come on guys, let's make her show us."

Helio was about to say something, when Azurite stopped her. She was curious to see if Rayce was all bark and no bite, or if she could back up her words.

The first guy went for her shoulders, trying to pin her against the wall. Rayce ducked out of the way, shoving his face into the wall, before throwing him at his friends. The next two guys tried to come at her from both sides, Rayce jumped back, swept their feet out from under themselves them, jumped up bringing her foot down hard on each of their backs.

Azurite noticed Rayce would shut her eyes, while she was fighting. Which made her even more curious, how could she be so good that she can fight with her eyes closed?

The next guy charged her head on, she grabbed his arm twisted behind his back and slammed him against the wall.

"Next time you and your friends get the bright idea to pick on a girl, why don't you do yourself a favor, and go fuck yourselves. Touch me again, and I won't be so merciful." She finished by slamming his face in to the wall, and letting him slide to the floor, before walking away, stepping on their groaning body's in the process.

The crowd cheered. Rayce ignored them.

"Dust, where'd she learn to fight like that?" Azurite asked outload.

Helio and Maelee both shrugged.

They made it to class before being stopped once again.

"There she is." A woman called quickly approaching.

Helio let out an eep, hiding behind Azurite.

"Helio what is the meaning of this, come home this instant." Her mother demanded.

The temporary headmaster Medu stood by Helio's mother's side. Her dark sunglasses firmly in place. She looked flustered, like she had been chasing after Helio's mom all morning, probably because she has.

"No." Helio said looking down, and clinging to Azurite.

"Are you insane, you have a performance tonight! Stop this foolishness."

"Ms. Swan please. You are interrupting classes, perhaps Helio could accompany you to my office."

"I'm not coming! I want to stay here!"

"What's going on?" Rayce asked walking over to them.

"Looks like Helio ran away?" Azurite said not quite sure what was happening.

"Please, if you won't come to my office, how about we go talk in that empty classroom over there." Medu offered.

Helio nodded, slowly backing away from her new team.

She looked to Rayce, Azurite, and Maelee with worry and sadness, before dragging herself after her mother and Medu.

"I hope she's not going to have to leave." Maelee frowned.

Rayce stared off after Helio, her scowl turning into a look of worry. Azurite noticed, but didn't say anything, she too was worried.

It seemed like her team was falling apart before she even had a chance to put it together. 'I'm probably the worst leader ever, you can't be a leader without a team." She frowned.

Helio stood close to the door, avoiding her mother gaze by staring at the floor.

"You are coming home his instant. Enough with your childish games."

"No! I told you I want to be a huntress, not a dancer."

"A huntress, do you hear yourself? You can't even fight."

"Yes I can, my dance instructor has been teaching me since I was 12."

"What! You did this behind my back. Helio what has gotten in to you."

"Nothing, I just want to be a huntress, I want to see what life is like for people who come here to protect people. I want to be that. Mother please try to understand."

"Ms. Swan if I may. Haven academy is proud to have your daughter here with us. She has shown promising skill already, perhaps if you would give it a chance, she can prove to you this is where she belongs." Medu advised.

Helio's mother narrowed her eyes, before looking at Medu then again to Helio who still wasn't looking at her. Helio had her fist clenched.

"Fine, do what you please. But I will have none of this. Do you understand Helio, you are not welcome in my house any longer. I will have your things delivered to your room. Good day." Her mother stormed out, leaving Helio with Medu.

Helio sniffled.

"Sometimes following our hearts comes at a price, it's up to you to decide if that price is worth paying." Medu walked towards the exit, before stopping and placing a hand on Helio's shoulder.

"I think you have made a brave choice, but this path you are on is not an easy one. If you are easily shaken, or weak in your resolve you cannot survive. I advise you think hard about what you want in life. For no one can make this decision but yourself. Now dear Helio run along, classes have already begun." Finally, Medu exited.

"Hey, uh you okay?" Rayce asked standing in the doorway.

"Y-you waited for me?" she sniffled tears streaming down her face.

"We all did." Azurite said her and Maelee behind Rayce.

Helio let a sob escape her lips, before tackling Rayce in a hug and breaking down, crying into her chest.

"Hey come on, get off me." Rayce complained, though by her tone it was easy to tell she didn't mean it.

"Hey cheer up, look even if your mother disowned you, we are your family now. We got your back." Azurite smiled rubbing Helio's back.

"Please don't cry." Maelee whispered, rubbing Helio's shoulder.

Rayce slowly wrapped her arms around Helio's waist and gave a light squeeze.

"Enough with the water works already." She complained.

Helio quieted her sobs and rest her head on Rayce's chest. Taking in shaky breaths.

"You going to be okay?" Azurite asked.

Helio nodded into Rayce's chest.

Rayce felt a twinge in her heart, she felt bad for Helio. She knew what it felt like to lose something, though Helio's mother was still alive, it was like she lost her. And Rayce was all to familiar with loss, she lost all her memory's, and there was an aching inside her, a pain of losing things that were precious to her. In a way she was jealous of Helio, at least Helio knew what she lost, as for Rayce, she was still trying to grasp what happened to her. Grabbing at straws, hoping one will lead her to what she wants. Then again she didn't know what she wanted, all she knew is she needed answers.

Rayce let go of Helio and turned away from everyone. Her eyes watered over, she didn't want anyone to see.

"We should get to class." She said in a sullen tone.

Azurite sighed, she just didn't understand Rayce at all. One minute the girl was being a decent human being, the next she was being a bratty moody pain in the neck, and now she's all serious. It was frustrating to keep track of each side of Rayce she saw.

"Yeah, she's right. Are you ready Helio?" Azurite asked.

"Yeah, I think so." She whimpered, wiping her eyes, and collecting herself.

In class Rayce stared off into space, completely ignoring the class. Once again she was bombarded by a strange since of déjà vu. Someone telling her stuff she already knew, and feeling like she was above it all.

Maelee on the other hand paid close attention, taking notes and focusing. She was determined to learn everything she had to, to make her father proud.

Azurite took the occasional note, but mostly she just doodled on her paper.

Helio took notes not as seriously as Maelee, but still kept up. Sometimes glancing at Rayce who was oblivious to her gaze.

After classes the new team headed for lunch.

"So what does everyone like to eat?" Azurite asked.

"I'm not picky, I like everything." Maelee smiled.

"Yeah me too." Azurite smiled back.

"Oh I like hmm, I lot of things but there are somethings I can't stand. Like cheese covered foods, yuk, or anything that is smacked between two slices of bread. Or anything dripping in grease. I also hate salty foods, things that have legs still attached, anything drowned in gravy, and anything covered with sugar." Helio said skipping along with her team.

Everyone stared at her like she had grown a second head.

"That's like everything good on the planet! Are you even human?" Azurite questioned.

"What, I like to eat healthy to maintain a proper figure." She pouted.

"Even I think that's a bit much." Maelee agreed.

"What about you short fuse, what do you like?" Azurite asked.

"Don't call me that, and I don't know."

"Well do you like fattening foods, or are you like prissy over there?"

"I don't know so stop asking." She spat walking ahead.

"How do you not know what you like?"

"Okay, maybe we should go to a buffet or something. They have a little of everything." Helio suggested.

"It better be a cheap buffet because I'm broke." Azurite sighed.

"Go without me." Rayce said walking even more ahead.

"Hey where you going? We are supposed to eat lunch together so we can get to know each other." Azurite called after her.

Rayce ignored her a walked on.

"What do I have to do, tie her to my back. Geez I can't win with her." She complained.

Maelee watched after Rayce, curious about the warrior as well. Though not in the same way as Helio.

"We can just follow her." Helio suggested.

"Yeah but I'm starving." Azurite complained.

"Fine, I guess you're right. But should we really let her go out on her own?"

"She's a big girl, she can handle herself." Azurite said.

Rayce made her way around Mistral mostly keeping her head down, she had a destination in mind and would not be deterred. She walked across a street and around several buildings, before finally making it to her intended destination. The waterfall. Many people surrounded the area, some children swam in the water bank. She sighed and trekked higher, climbing up several rocks to sit on a ledge near the raging water fall. She was about to start meditating when,

"Hey you! you can't be up there. Are you crazy! Come down this instant lady." A guard called.

Rayce clenched her fist before jumping down, scaring the wits out of everyone who thought she would hurt herself, and landing perfectly fine.

"well is there an area near the waterfall I am permitted to go?" she asked a slight bite to her words.

"yeah, down here, like everyone else."

Rayce grumbled under her breath before taking up a seat by the water bank and trying to meditate. A kid jumping in splashed her, and the loud sounds of people going about their daily lives irked her. She stood abruptly realizing she would never be able to meditate here, and walked off, a better destination in mind.

Later that night Azurite regretted her words as it was past ten and Rayce still wasn't back.

"The least she could do is pick up her damn scroll." Azurite said pacing back and forth in the living room.

Helio and Maelee sat on the sofa, looking worried at the door, hoping Rayce would walk in at any given moment.

Azurite shut her scroll with a frustrated growl, "Okay let's go look for her." She said grabbing her jacket and slipping it on.

"Good idea." Helio nodded.

The girls all wore their usual get up now, except Helio wore boots that looked like ballet shoes but weren't. Maelee grabbed her sweater and backpack, the three headed out.

Rayce lay by the lake from the initiation, her arms under her head, her scroll on silent next to her. She stared at the moon.

Suddenly her eyes lit up purple, she saw her new team looking for her, then getting ambushed by beowolves. Her eyes went back to normal, she sat up with a jolt.

Team AMRH was just out the door when Azurites scroll lit up with a new call.

"It's her, hello where are you!" she said answering the call.

"Relax I'm fine, I'll be back later. Don't wait up."

"Where are you, we have class tomorrow you know, you can't just- hello, hello" Azurite sighed and closed her scroll. "she hung up."

"Maybe we should still go look for her, what if she gets hurt." Helio suggested, kicking at the ground.

Maelee looked up at the moon, then looked to Azurite.

"She's right, it's late we can't just leave her out here."

"Well what do you want me to do, she made it clear she doesn't want to be found. I swear this girl is a pain in my ass."

Howls from beowolves drew their attention.

"Zuri." Maelee begged.

"Don't you Zuri me, look I'll go look for her. You two stay here just in case her highness decides to grace us with her presence."

"Are you sure, going alone could be dangerous." Helio worried.

"I can handle myself, besides it can't be more dangerous than a lady who shots fire from her hands."

"Huh?"

"It's a long story, anyways I'll be back. Call me if she comes back." Azurite said running out into the woods.

'I don't like this.' Trope commented.

'Yeah me either' Helio agreed.

Maelee watched Azurite disappear into the woods.

Rayce meditated by the water, her eyes closed, her legs crossed, her hands resting on her knees.

The water behind Rayce seemed to ripple slightly and silently. As a large grimm arouse from the depths of the lake. It resembled a water spider, except this grim was an easy ten feet long, each leg spread across the glassy surface of the lake. It's red eyes staring silently at Rayce. It's long antenna waving quietly in the air, it's pincer like mouth opening and closing over and over. It's mask as white as the moon.

Azurite walked through the forest, being very cautious not to draw out any grimm. 'damn this girl, is she asking to get killed. Look at me I'm Rayce, I'm better than everything, I want to die soon. I wish I never met her. Of course if Irene were here she'd say a new acquaintance is far more useful than someone you never met. I'm inclined to disagree.'

A loud bang drew Azurites attention, as she ran towards it.

"Get off!" Rayce cried, trying to pry the grimm from her, it's two arms wrapped around her body. Her shotguns abandon on the ground next to her.

The grimm shot out a web like substance from its mouth getting Rayce in the face. She cried out.

Azurite ran into the clearing just as Rayce was dragged under water.

"Oh come on." She complained, taking her jacket off, and kicking off her boots, tossing her scroll to the ground.

She ran to the lake and dived in.

Rayce wrestled with the grimm underwater, her hands pulling apart it's pincers and breaking them, causing the grimm to cry out, and stab Rayce in the leg with one of its legs. Cutting clean through. She screamed releasing the last of her air.

Blood clouded the water, preventing Azurite from seeing.

Rayce punched the grimm in the face over and over, till the masked cracked along with her knuckle.

Azurite brought her sword tattoo to life, stabbing the grimm in the face causing it to die and disappear. She grabbed Rayce and swam up.

"Ahh!" Rayce cried as she crawled on to the shore, her leg gushing blood, her knuckle broken.

She coughed up water, and used her other hand to yank to black webbing from her face.

"The hell is wrong with you; you could have been killed!" Azurite yelled, also catching her breath.

"Screw you, I had it." Rayce winced her good hand clenching to her injured leg.

"Just like you had it last time too right."

"Ahh! Shut up already! What are you doing here, I told you not to come."

Azurite stood ringing out her wet hair. "It's a good thing I did, look at you. damn you, here." Azurite took her belt off and wrapped it around Rayce's leg cutting off the blood flow.

"Ahh! That hurts!"

"Well maybe if you weren't so reckless this wouldn't happen."

Rayce's eyes lit up purple, before going back to normal.

"Watch out!" she cried slamming Azurite to the ground, as a beawolf came charging out of the forest, and went to tackle Azurite but missed and landed in the lake.

Howls filled the night air.

"We have to get out of here." Rayce said trying to stand, but she fell crying out in pain.

Azurite looked around and saw the forest lighting up with red eyes. 'Damn, damn, damn. Okay think.'

Rayce tried again, wavering as she stood blood running down her leg. She limped over to her weapon which rested on the shore bank, along with her other stuff like her book bag and scroll. She picked it up, and grabbed her scroll shoving it in her bag and slinging it around her shoulder.

Azurite grabbed her boots and jacket, slipping her scroll in her pocket.

Rayce used her shot gun to kill the beawolf coming out of the water, which only caused the others to charge.

Azurite grabbed her weapon using it as laser gun mode, firing off red lasers.

The two girls stood back to back firing off rounds at the grimm.

A larger beawolf came charging out of the forest, going for Rayce. Rayce transformed her weapon into staff mode and despite her injury was still quick on her feet to dodge.

Azurite got distracted by Rayce and was attacked from behind.

Rayce back flipped, but couldn't stick the landing and fell. The grimm tackled her, pining her to the ground. Rayce used her staff to pry off the grimm, trying to gain some ground. But she was quickly being surrounded.

Azurite wasn't fairing much better, she transformed her weapon into air brush mode drawing a rope of fire around a crowd of grimm, buying herself some time to draw a cannon, which fired fire balls.

Rayce transformed her weapon into fan blade mode, cutting the grimm in two. The lead of the pack of beowolves slashed her back causing her to stumble forward, and lose her already wavering grip on her weapon, dropping it to the floor.

The grimm sunk its teeth into her shoulder, causing her to cry out. It ripped a decent chunk out slamming her to the floor. Rayce put up her arms to shield herself from the next attack when a fire ball took out the grimm.

Red lasers and fire balls lit up the area as Azurite took out the remaining grimm.

"Hey hold on, I got you." Azurite said running over to Rayce.

Rayce groaned in pain, her shoulder now also bleeding profusely.

"This is what you get for trying to be a show off." Azurite joked trying to lighten the mood.

She took her jacket off, and tied it around Rayce's shoulder. Rayce hissed in pain.

"When's the last time you washed this thing?" she asked.

"Shut the hell up and just let me help you will ya."

Azurite hoisted Rayce off the floor, supporting most of her weight. They walked over and grabbed Rayce's weapon before heading back to the school.

"Thanks." Rayce said on the way over there.

"So you are capable of nice words, I was starting to wonder." Azurite said sarcastically.

"Whatever." Rayce grunted.

"Next time you decide to go on a hunting trip count me out okay." Azurite complained.

Rayce grunted in response, the jacket soaked through, her leg still dripping blood leaving a trail behind them.

"Hey just hold on, we are almost there."

"Why are you helping me?" Rayce finally asked.

"Would you rather I leave you to bleed to death?" Azurite asked sarcastically.

"Well no, but -

"But nothing, you're my teammate you're my responsibility now. Besides I think under that hard shell, maybe like deep, deep, deep under, like way in there, you might be a good person. I saw how worried you were for Helio, and how you stood up against those bullies. You might just redeem yourself yet, but you can't redeem yourself if you die so guess that means I got to help you. whether you like it or not, now suck it up, we are almost there."

Rayce eyed Azurite in curiosity.

When they finally made it to the school, Rayce was on the verge of passing out. Azurite pulled out her scroll and called Helio, and told her to call for help. Rayce lay flat on a bench outside of the school building, azurite pacing behind her.

Rayce stared at the moon. The words _'Whatever happens I'll always come back to you. you know I can handle anything.'_ Coming back into her memory. She didn't know who she said them too, or when she said them just that she had said them before. She let tears fall from her eyes, before her vision finally went black.

When she came to, she was in some sort of hospital room, getting a blood transfusion. Her shoulder and leg bandage up. She looked around the room, azurite was asleep sitting in a chair, her head resting against the wall, her arms crossed. Helio was asleep at her feet, she was sitting in a chair, resting her head at the feet of the bed. Maelee sat next to Azurite, her backpack making a pillow for her neck, as she slept sitting up.

Rayce sighed and rested her head against the pillow, feeling guilty for dragging these three girls into her mess.

Maelee jolted awake from a nightmare, Rayce turned to look at her.

"Hey do you know what time it is?" she asked.

"Um uh," Maelee paused to look at her scroll. "Just about four in the morning."

Rayce sighed.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"Horrible, but I'll be okay."

"That's good. Do you need anything?"

"No, but thank you. you can go back to sleep if you want."

Maelee smiled and closed her eyes.

In the morning Rayce was awoken to someone shaking her awake.

She mumbled a complaint before she opened her eyes.

Helio stood in front of her dressed in her school uniform.

"G-good morning." Helio stuttered.

"Morning." Rayce grumbled.

"Oh! I'm so glad you are okay!" Helio tackled her in a hug.

"Ah! Shoulder!"

"Oh sorry, so sorry. So um how do you feel?" she asked pulling back.

"Terrible, and hungry. You going to class?"

"Yes, but I didn't want to Azurite is making me." Helio pouted.

"For your own good." Azurite said her and Maelee walking in.

"Still." Helio frowned.

"We are off to class, you are on bed rest, no sneaking out you hear." Azurite said playfully.

"Whatever you say captain"

"What, do my ears deceive me, or did you just call me captain?"

"I was being sarcastic." Rayce said immediately defending herself.

"No I think I heard a sincere tone in there."

"Oh shut it mop head."

"What did you call me!"

"Here we go again." Maelee sighed.

Helio giggled.

"You heard me, maybe you really should get your ears checked."

"Why you, I hope those wound take forever to heal just so I can watch you suffer."

"Yeah that way, I won't be able to put you in your place until I get better."

"Why do I even try? I'm out of here, come on." Azurite said turning to leave.

"Hey cabbage head!" Rayce called just as azurite got to the doorway.

"What!"

"Thanks, I owe you one." Rayce smiled.

Azurite smiled, and walked out Helio and Maelee on her tail. Rayce sighed and let her head rest against the pillow.

 **A/N: hey everyone, hope you like the new chapter. Still a little light hearted for now, but will pick up soon plot wise. Tell what you think of our girls second day. The next chapter will probably focus a little more on Maelee. Also will probably meet some new characters, professors, fellow students, and maybe a bady or two. Also I'll be diving deeper into Rayce's semblance next chapter establishing its limits and what not. If you guys have any ideas or suggestions, leave them in the comments, all is welcome. Don't forget to check out my other fics, The Ice Queen and her Rose, and I May Fall. If you guys have any suggestions to how I can improve please let me know in the comments. But until next time,**

 **-Batty**


	7. Vol 1 Chapter Three: Secrets Listen

Chapter Three: Secrets Listen to the Wind

A week had passed since Rayce's incident, and now the team had resumed daily activities. Rayce was all healed up now, thanks to her aura and the doctors at the local hospital. Things had seemed to calm down with the team as they were getting to know each other better, and becoming a little more comfortable with one another.

"I hate this game." Azurite complained, losing chess again to Rayce.

"You made me play poker for a half hour yesterday, now it's my turn." Rayce smirked, loving beating Azurite at every game.

"Yeah but you won every hand, now your winning at this two, is there anything you are not good at, at least let me win once." Azurite frowned.

Helio giggled as the team sat at a table near the courtyard, it was a nice day out, and classes let out about an hour ago. It was originally Azurite's idea to play games to get to know how the other thinks, then she lost and now it just turned into her trying to win at least one game.

Maelee wasn't really paying attention she was busy tinkering with her backpack, trying to see how every mechanism was activated and how they all worked.

"I think you're cheating; no way you can be this good." Azurite declared.

"How can you even cheat at chess?" Rayce asked.

"Well then spill it what's your secret, how do you always know what I'm about to do before I do it?" Azurite asked.

"Maybe you are too predictable." Rayce shrugged.

"No because I mopped the floor with May, and Helio yesterday. It's just you."

"Guess you're not on my level, I'm too good for you." Rayce smiled standing to stretch.

Azurite glared at her, mocking Rayce silently when Rayce turned around. Helio sighed and shook her head at her.

Azurite decided now was the time to test her theory. She grabbed the knight piece off the board and chunked it at Rayce, who's back was turned.

Without looking Rayce side stepped and caught it.

"Ah Ha! I knew it you do know what I'm going to do before I do it." Azurite declared triumphant.

"No, I just know how childish you are." Rayce said tossing the piece back to azurite who caught it.

"I'm not childish if anyone is childish it's you." Azurite snapped.

"Please, mocking me behind my back, childish."

"How did you… okay now I really think you're messing with me." Azurite said standing.

Helio sighed and walked over to Maelee, Azurite and Rayce bickering in the background.

"What cha doing?" Helio asked.

"Just making some adjustments to my bag, trying to figure out the activating mechanism." Maelee informed, her eyes locked in concentration, a blue clip pinning her hair out of her face, her glasses sliding down the bridge of her nose.

"Sounds interesting." Helio said sitting next to her.

"It is, the way it was designed it uses infer red technology, and sensors like heart rate, temperature, and brain waves. Completely unique in design, it's pure genius." Maelee declared, readjusting her glasses.

"The person who made it must be really smart." Helio smiled.

Maelee stopped what she was doing, looking down. "He was." She murmured.

"Cut it out!" Azurite shouting drew their attention.

"Just admit it, I'm better than you." Rayce teased having pinned Azurite to the table. The chess board on the floor it's pieces scattered everywhere.

"Come on stop fighting." Helio chastised.

"She started it." Rayce said letting Azurite go.

"I did not, you totally started it with your cheating."

"I already told you I didn't cheat, you're just a sore loser."

"What did you call me!"

"You heard me, sore loser."

"You guys! Seriously can we go five seconds with peace?" Helio asked.

"She started it!" they said at the same time.

Maelee sighed and packed up her tools and notes. "We should head back before the sun sets." She suggested.

"Clean this up." Azurite ordered Rayce.

"No way you knocked it over you pick it up."

"You both pick it up!" Helio shouted, crossing her arms.

Helio and Maelee left Azurite and Rayce to pick up the chess board, while they headed to the room.

"I swear with those two." Helio sighed.

"I think it's nice they give each other a little friendly competition. I never had someone like that back home." Maelee smiled.

"Yeah me either I guess, I mean I've always had Trope, sometimes she can be a pain. But for the most part I think she's my friend. What was it like, back home I mean." Helio asked Maelee as the two walked down the hall to their dorm.

"It was nice, I was homeschooled. I had a few friends. It was good." Maelee finished with a sad whisper.

"Is everything okay?"

"It's just before I came here, our town was raided by a tribe of people. They killed my father, my friend. Right in front of me. I miss them."

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry I had no idea."

"It's why I'm here, I want to be a huntress so that I can prevent that from happening to anyone else."

"Wow, that's inspiring. I wish I had motivation like that." Helio sighed opening the door.

"You will one day, you just got to find what it is you are fighting for. I have my purpose, and I'll do whatever it takes to fulfill it." Maelee said with determination, though she wasn't talking about becoming a huntress no, she was thinking of a certain masked woman she was going to find one day, and she was going to kill.

…

"I'm going to figure it out, and when I do." Azurite said her and Rayce heading back to the dorm.

"You'll never figure it out." Rayce said seriously.

Azurite raised an eyebrow towards her.

"Okay I'll bite, what's your story. Why do always get so moody and serious at random times?"

"I don't know." Rayce sighed.

"Is that like your go to answer for when you don't want to talk?"

"No that is me saying I don't know my story, or anything about myself." Rayce snapped.

"Huh?"

"Look just drop it, if you really want to know before I came here I woke up in the forest not knowing who I was or where I came from or pretty much anything about myself. The end." Rayce said walking ahead.

"Whoa wait, so you have like amnesia or something? Why don't you go to the doctor, they can help you."

"I wish, I tried that already no one can help me. Just drop it." Rayce said walking into the room.

Azurite sighed.

Maelee sat on her bed pulling out her notes and tools again and getting back to work. Her bag had become her latest obsession, after all her father had been working on this for dust knows how long. He made it specially for her, so Maelee was determined to find out its every function if just to feel closer to her father.

Azurite came into the room with a sigh plopping on her bed.

"I just don't get it, the more I try to figure her out, the more confused I become. Why can't she be easy like Helio." Azurite complained falling back on her bed.

"That's because you haven't been listening to her at all, she said she doesn't know her past so technically there is nothing to figure out." Maelee said not glancing away from her work.

"No, just because she can't remember doesn't mean there is nothing there, I mean there has to be a reason she acts the way she does, you aren't born mean, if she really forgot who she was she would probably be acting more like Helio." Azurite sat back up.

"Interesting theory." Was all Maelee said as she began to unscrew the back of the bag to see where and what the battery is.

"A theory I can't prove! She is by far the strongest person on our team, don't tell her I said that, and I can't figure her out. I mean if I don't know her, how can we implement her into the team where she will be most effective. I mean sure we still are getting to know each other but first missions are around the corner and I just want to make sure we are ready." Azurite pouted getting up to grab her sketch book.

"Hmmm, I think maybe you're over thinking it."

"You think so? I guess you're right, I do have a habit of over thinking everything. Can't help it. I just want to be a good leader you know. I mean I've never been the leader of anything, leader of the losers maybe, but this is a chance for me to start over, and I don't want to mess it up." Azurite admitted sitting back on her bed.

Maelee paused her work to finally look at her partner who was staring thoughtfully at her sketch from a previous night.

"As long as you're trying there is no way you can mess it up." Maelee smiled at her.

"I hope so." Azurite said with a frown as she turned the page of her sketch book.

She looked over to Maelee and forced a smile.

It wasn't as if Azurite wanted to be skeptical, she used to be the over hopeful type. But years of hard trials and a difficult child hood taught her that hope and giving it your best sometimes isn't enough. She was all too familiar with being a disappointment and screwing up things she cared about.

Helio grabbed her workout bag, the room that was once empty was now overflowing with elegant pink and girly things thanks to Helio's mom making good on having her stuff delivered. Rayce didn't really care one way or the other, most of her time was spent staring out the window anyway.

"I'm going to go workout; you want to come?" Helio asked.

Rayce was about to give her automatic response of no, but paused. Rayce was used to a very strict workout routine, and training session but after forgetting everything about her life, she had also forgotten about that. Her body was still in shape; it was going to take more than a couple weeks of slacking to undo nine years of harsh training.

"Sure why not." She relented feeling the extreme need to do something productive coming from deep in her core.

It was feelings like this that had Rayce puzzled she knew that these things were part of her for good, yet she couldn't remember how they become those parts of her or why she wanted to cling to them so tightly.

Helio felt her stomach lurch in excitement but was sure to contain herself.

Rayce got up, in only her black spandex shorts and orange sports bra, she slipped her shoes on and was ready.

Her long black hair was pulled back into a lose braid, and her ninja boots looked odd in comparison to her work out uniform. Helio giggled.

"What?"

"I think you might need some different shoes." She smiled.

"What's wrong with these?" she asked slightly offended.

"No nothing it's just maybe you should get some work out shoes." Helio suggested quickly trying to defuse the situation.

Rayce sighed, "I don't have any money." She murmured feeling embarrassed.

"It's fine, maybe after our first mission I can go help you look for new ones." Helio suggested.

Rayce forced a smile and nodded, "Can we just go now." She playfully complained.

The two walked into the living room before Helio called out "We'll be back!"

"Where you going?" Azurite asked walking out of the room.

"We are going to work out, got to maintain a proper figure." Helio smiled.

"What she said." Rayce shrugged.

"Well okay, see you two later I guess." Azurite frowned.

"Want to come?" Helio asked.

"No it's fine I'm not really the healthy type." Azurite joked.

"Really I had no idea." Rayce rolled her eyes.

Azurite glared at her.

"Maybe next time." Helio smiled grabbing Rayce by the wrist and pulling her towards the exit.

Azurite sighed and waved bye before retreating back to the room.

"Everything okay?" Maelee asked.

"Yep, the two health buffs just went to get even more buff."

"You okay?"

"Yep totally fine, it's not like we're a team and should probably train and workout together or anything."

Maelee sighed looking up from her work to her leader.

"What?"

"Zuri if you wanted to go you should just go."

"No way and make a fool out of myself, they probably have some extreme workout no way I could keep up. I'd probably just become Rayce's personal laughing device."

Maelee frowned and went back to work not saying anything.

"Well?" Azurite asked.

"Well what? You seem to have a pretty clear idea of wat you are going to do to me."

"But I don't!" Azurite shouted collapsing on her bed.

"Look you can suck it up and attempt to keep up, or maybe you and I can just make our own workout routine. Or maybe you should set aside a day where we all train together as a team."

"How can you be so smart and you're like four years younger than me."

"Home school, plus my dad was a genius." Maelee smiled at the complement.

Azurite smiled at her partner already devising a plan in her head.

…

"So what do you want to do first? I usually stretch then do core for an hour, then leg mostly calves and upper thigh, end with some basic cardio."

"Um I guess I'll just do what you do, I mean I can't remember my routine so I guess it's time I get a new one." Rayce shrugged.

"Okay, well I'm sure you will like it, you move like a dancer, and have great balance and poster maybe you were a dancer and you just can't remember."

"Maybe." Rayce smiled giving Helio the benefit of the doubt.

Together the two worked out in one of many training gyms on campus. Helio was not at all surprised that Rayce was able to keep up with her routine if not enhance it some. Rayce seemed to transform entirely as she worked out. Helio watched her relax completely as if she was used to the habitual process of straining one's muscles and pushing the body to perform better.

Helio watched Rayce closely, trying to gain insight on her partner. She paid close attention to how Rayce would change up the routine a little, the minor detail that made the major difference. Helio had to guess she might even say Rayce has been professionally trained, by someone with great skill.

Rayce was lost in thought, she was engulfed was a strong familiarity that she was sure she might remember something at any moment.

And then she did.

…

Rayce's memory

"Rayce Diana Kind, why aren't you in class." Her mother scowled.

"I can't do it." the young nine-year-old Rayce cried burying her head deeper into her arms which hugged her legs closer to her body.

Rayce sat in her room in the dark. Tears streaming down her face.

Her mother sighed, "What happened are they picking on you again?"

Rayce didn't say anything.

"Rayce talk to me."

"The stupid test, I can't move up a rank like everyone else in my class until I unlock my semblance. Everyone else can do it, but I can't. I'm too stupid and weak." Rayce cried.

"Hey, enough of that. You are smart beautiful and strong."

"That doesn't mean much coming from my mom." Rayce snapped.

"Look at me, Rayce I said look at me."

Rayce slowly lifted her head, her purple eyes overflowing with tears.

"Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. With hard training and determination, you can do anything. Maybe you are just a late bloomer, you know your father didn't get his semblance till he was 14."

"That's supposed to make me feel better!"

"Well uh, why don't you tell me what this test is like, I'm sure there is a way around it that doesn't require you to use your semblance."

Rayce nodded and wiped her tears.

Normally when faced with an obstacle like this their mentor would help them, but during testing period all students were left to their own devices. Put to the ultimate test in order to see if they were ready to move on to harder things.

"They blind fold us, and put us inside the firing chamber. Then they put it on hard and we are supposed to use our semblance to dodge the disk or hit them away. They turn the lights off just to make sure you can't see. I've already taken it twice I only have one more chance before I am forbidden from moving up a rank for six months."

Her mother smiled at her, and wrapped her arm around Rayce's shoulder.

"You can't join them sweetie then you just have to beat them at their own game. There is another way, but I'm not sure you can perfect it by the time you have to take the test again."

"Tell me!"

"Well if you can't predict the movement of the disk, try listening to it. use your ears and not your eyes. Listen for the wind. Be quick on your feet. You think you can do that?"

Rayce nodded in determination, before grabbing her things and running off. Her mother chuckled.

Rayce used the firing chamber after hours. She blind folded herself and focused on the sound, the wind. She got hit many times large bruises and welts decorating her skin. Still the young nine-year-old refused to give up.

For three days she was out there training, listening to the wind. Then came time for her final attempt.

"Just give up no way a weak link like you can pass the test without unlocking your semblance." A boy in her class teased.

Rayce ignored them all, she wore spandex shorts and a tank top proudly showing off her bruises and scars. Her hair was pulled up into a tight ponytail, and her hands were clinched around her weapon, which was taller than she was.

"Okay, you know the rules. Lights out and blind folded, you get hit three times you fail. Simple as that. Ready?" her instructor asked as if he was talking to a baby.

Most of the adults in town took pity on Rayce which is what caused many of her peers to mirror their parent's actions and words spoken behind closed doors to Rayce herself. Still Rayce stood tall and nodded.

He tied the blind fold tightly around her head and pushed her into the chamber.

The door shut and the lights turned off. Rayce took a deep breath.

She blocked out all her surroundings for the first time and just listened and focused.

The first disk came flying out at face level, she swung her staff shattering it before it touched her. She had perfected the art of timing and knowing how long she had before the disk hit her.

After warning the shot the real test begun. Disk came flying out faster than it takes a bird to leap into the air and fly. They came three at a time from many different angles.

Rayce spun to dodge and listened to the wind each disk made letting her know what direction it was coming from and from what angle. She wacked disk after disk out of the air. Then the test got harder four at a time, then five.

She was thrown for a bit not remember the test being this hard or long for everyone else. Still she forced herself to focus and wait it out. Perfecting the skill of listening to the wind while taking the test.

"What the hell, kids not even using her semblance, no aura levels have been detected." One of the test facilitators whispered to the other.

"She must be cheating." The other concluded.

"But how?"

"She was in here all night; she could have rigged it."

"Should we turn it off?"

"Yeah, we got to give her a different test."

They finally turned it off Rayce catching her breath and removing the blind fold and walked out.

"Did I pass?" she asked.

"Nice try you little cheater, we know you ridged the machine."

"What? No I didn't."

"Either way, we are just going to have to test you manually." He smirked.

They retied the blind fold and pushed Rayce into the training square. Where the test facilitator grabbed his bow and loaded on an arrow.

"Hope you are as good as you looked because if one of these hits you, well it could kill you." he chuckled.

Everyone was silent, fearing that they were about to watch someone kill someone else.

"Maybe we shouldn't" the other guy said.

"Shut up." The man said before firing the first arrow.

Rayce jumped out of the way, her heart racing as she focused on nothing but the arrows.

He shot another and another, she jumped back and used her staff to knock it out of the air.

The crowd of kids gave audible ohs and ahs.

The man pulled out two arrows at a time, firing off faster. Rayce ducked and twisted her body out of the way. Then he did three at a time. It had become personal to him; he was determined to hit her at least once.

Rayce struggled to keep track of all the arrows as the kids making noises and hollering distracted her from listening. The sounds of the other guy nagging the main guy added with the sounds of everyday life like, birds, air conditioner, and her own heart quickly overwhelmed her.

Then he got her.

"AHH!" she cried out falling to the ground as an arrow pierced her left leg.

Everyone went silent.

"Hmp" the man breathed out in pride.

Rayce took off the arrow tip before sliding the arrow out and standing.

"Test is over kid, you lose."

"Three times."

"What?"

"If I don't get hit more than three times I pass right?"

"Shit." He mumbled under his breath.

"So do I pass?" She asked.

"What do we do?" the other guy asked.

"Fuck, the only thing we can. You pass for now kid but the test only gets harder from here." The man spat turning to leave.

"I wonder how she did it." the other guy said.

"Hell if I know, must be some sort of secret her mentor taught her."

…

Back to present

"Rayce?"

"Huh?"

"You okay, you sort of spaced out for a second."

"I… uh…yeah I'm fine."

"Are you sure." Helio asked in concern.

"Yeah, uh I think I'm going to go lay down, I'm kind of tired." Rayce said grabbing her things and walking off.

"Okay…" Helio trailed off staring after Rayce in worry.

…

"Back so soon?" Azurite asked, a glass of soda in her hands.

"Emm" was Rayce's response as she walked past the leader and went to her room shutting the door.

"Okay, what was that about?" Azurite asked herself before retreating back to her room.

It was really late when Maelee shot up in bed from a nightmare.

She caught her breath and looked over to Azurite who was dead asleep one arm covering her face, the other resting on her stomach. The covers hanging off the bed and crumpled in a ball at her feet.

Maelee felt her eyes water as she shook off the last images of her nightmare. She took a deep breath and laid back down, when the sound of screaming had her shooting back up.

Azurite shot up too, falling off the bed in the process.

"What the hell?" Azurite complained standing up and rubbing her head.

Maelee looked at Azurite in the dark, "I think it came from the other room." She said in a shaky breath.

Azurite mumbled a complaint when she heard the scream again. She flinched in surprise at the sound.

"Shit" she cursed grabbing her weapon off her desk and putting it in firing mode.

Maelee got up and flowed behind Azurite the two slowly creeping to the other room.

"On the count of three." Azurite whispered.

Maelee nodded.

Azurite held up her fingers.

1.

2.

3.

They swung the door open ready to take action, Helio let out a surprised eep.

"God, what the hell, you scared the shit out of us." Azurite sighed in relief putting her weapon down.

Maelee took in the scene.

Rayce was sitting up in bed covered in sweat, her hands covering her eyes. She was trying to catch her breath. Then there was Helio who looked like she had just stood to investigate when the door swung open. So she was staring wide eyed at Azurite hands up in surprise.

"What happened?" Azurite asked.

Rayce quickly got up and ran to the restroom, vomiting up her guts in the toilet.

"Are you okay, what's wrong?" Helio asked going to Rayce's side and moving her hair out of the way.

Rayce was shaking like a leaf, she got up and washed her mouth out, splashing her face a few times. Then she stared blankly at the sink counter top.

"Hey, hello are you okay? do you need a doctor?" Azurite asked. Snapping her fingers to grab Rayce's attention. Rayce flinched.

"I-I'm f-fine" Rayce whimpered.

The team quickly shared skeptical looks.

Rayce watched blood drip onto the counter top. It's crimson color a stark contrast to the pearly white surface.

Her shaking hand traveled to her nose, where her fingers came back wet and red.

"Yeah that's not fine, come on you need a doctor." Azurite said grabbing Rayce by the shoulder.

Once again Rayce flinched.

"I'll go get her some water." Helio said running to the mini kitchen, which doubled as the living room.

Maelee grabbed a wash cloth and handed it to Rayce, who stared at it for a second before accepting it. she held it to her nose, before turning to Azurite who stared at her in concern.

"Come on." Azurite said moving so Rayce could walk past her.

Rayce stared at Azurite, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Azurite asked.

Helio came back with the water. All three members of team AMRH stared at Rayce, whose eyes were blood shot, nose was bleeding, and who's skin was pale and covered in beads of sweat.

Rayce tackled Azurite in a surprise hug before completely breaking down and crying. Azurite held up her hands in surprise before looking to Maelee and Helio for help.

They stared wide eyed and in shock. Azurite slowly moved her hand to rub Rayce on the back, confused as to what was going on.

"Oh god, oh god." Rayce sobbed holding to Azurite tightly.

"Um it's going to be okay? There, there…" Azurite tried, though she was never good at this kind of stuff.

"Rayce what's wrong?" Helio tried again.

Rayce quieted her harsh crying, but still held tight to Azurite.

"S-sorry." Rayce choked out, slowly prying herself from her tattooed leader.

"Are you okay?" Azurite asked.

Rayce nodded and took the water from Helio's hands. It shook as she moved it to her mouth and took a couple of sips.

"Can you talk now?" Maelee asked.

Rayce slowly walked over to her bed siting down and staring at the floor. The moon light illuminating her profile.

"It's nothing, I'm fine." Rayce said with no emotion or expression.

"Hells to the no that is not fine. You scare the living shit out of me, then you break down on me, what the hell! Are you sick, do you need a doctor, do I need to call for help or something?" Azurite asked.

Rayce just stared at the ground.

"Hello!"

"Do you have a tattoo on your head?" Rayce asked.

"Huh?"

Rayce looked up at her.

"On your head, is there a tattoo there?"

"Why?"

Rayce just stared at her waiting for a proper answer.

"Yes, I have a tattoo on my head, why?" Azurite said growing impatient.

Rayce nodded before staring at the ground again.

"Rayce, please talk to us." Helio tried sitting next to Rayce.

"It's nothing just drop it, sorry for freaking out…"

"Well I'm not leaving to you give me a decent explanation." Azurite huffed plopping down on Helio's bed.

Maelee examined Rayce before going to sit next to Azurite.

"Well?"

"I don't know."

"Come on, really, you don't know why you just freaked out?"

"Zuri." Maelee warned.

Rayce shook her head before burying her face in her hands.

"Rayce…" Helio trailed off rubbing Rayce on the back.

Rayce took a deep breath, before moving her hands away.

"Uh...um... dust, I just thought… nothing never mind it's stupid, it's nothing, I'm fine."

"You can tell us. We are your friends, your team." Helio reassured her.

"No I can't it's stupid, just everyone go back to bed." Rayce sighed

"Just tell us." Azurite huffed.

"I thought you died." Rayce whispered.

The room was silent.

"What?" Azurite finally said though it was even softer than Rayce's whisper.

"It's nothing I told you it's stupid. Forget it, forget about this whole thing, everyone go back to bed." Rayce stood to retreat to the bathroom.

"Why would you think that?" Azurite stood catching Rayce by the wrist.

"It was a stupid dream okay, stupid, drop it." she took her wrist back, and went into the restroom slamming the door.

Rayce slid down the door, covering her mouth to keep her sobs from escaping. Tears streaming down her face.

Because Rayce knew it was no dream, and the horrifying thing she saw was a glimpse of the future, a peak at the darkness to come.

….

"Where have you been." A blond haired masked girl, asked another masked woman.

This woman had long black hair, and a white grimm like mask. She wore a red kimono like outfit, and had a sword clipped to her belt

"I had business in vale, but the real question is what were you thinking!"

Raven took off her mask to face the blond haired masked girl in a brown trench coat. The girl took off her mask, she was young but not too young, she was in her early twenties.

"You said we needed it so I went to get it." the girl defended herself.

"You raided the town of Windpath, which isn't too far from the kingdom, what if someone saw you, or worse. We can't risk it." Raven scolded.

"No one saw me, and I got what you wanted."

"Ivy we have been through this I can only protect you if you let me. Things are about to get ugly, and if you do not do exactly as I say then you will be taken and used as a weapon. Do you want that?"

"No."

"Then when I say stay low till I get back I mean it, are you positive no one saw you?"

"Raven this was weeks ago, I was in and out, I killed anyone who saw me." Ivy lied thinking about Maelee the girl who got away.

Raven sighed. "You better be right, we can't risk Salem finding out your location. We should get a move on, how's the tribe?"

"Everyone's great, told you, you could leave me in charge and nothing would happen." Ivy smiled.

"I only left you in charge because I had no choice, with the other scattered right now, you were my best bet that things wouldn't go to hell when I left. Come on."

"Why do you always go to vale?"

"It's complicated." Raven sighed putting her mask back in place.

 **A/N: hey everyone sorry for the wait, midterms, school, new job, family, you know the usual. Hope you liked the new chapter, and I hope it gave you a little bit of insight to our team. More to come soon, I have planned out around four volumes of this, with each volume having twelve chapters, sort of like the show. Tell me what you think of everything so far, and what I can improve, or what I can make more clear, all is welcome. Really I love to get comments and feedback on my stories. I tried to show the team dynamic in this chapter and how everyone is getting along so far, more team development to come, and more character back story for all characters. Next chapter will for sure have new characters, sidekicks, professors, and villains. Despite what it looks like now, raven and ivy will not be the main villains just yet, they are villains in a sense, but there will be different villains. Here is a hint, if Salem is the wicked witch of the west my new villain will be the wicked witch of the east. But you will just have to wait and see what I mean. Hope you guys are enjoying this, let me know what you guys want in this, like I said before I am always open to ideas. But until next time,**

 **-Batty**


	8. Vol 1 Chapter four: See No Evil

Chapter Four: See No Evil

Rayce sat up in bed with a scream, it has been two weeks since the first time this happened. Ever since then she has been having visions almost every day.

Helio gave a whimper and turned in bed putting a pillow over her head. At first the team had tried to get Rayce to talk about it, to get her help. But after she kept refusing them, they had begun to give up. As Azurite put it, you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped.

It has gotten to the point where Rayce is trying to force herself to never sleep. Which wasn't the best of ideas.

Maelee stared at the wall in her room, she too was constantly having nightmares. She wasn't a screamer like Rayce, but she always knew when Rayce was up, because she was up. Maelee turned to Azurite who had headphones in her ears and was sound asleep.

Rayce stumbled into the living room, her eyes bloodshot, her skin pale. She even looked thinner. She pulled her hair up into a loose ponytail.

"You want to talk about it?" Maelee asked going into the living room.

Rayce flinched at her voice, but then sighed.

"No."

"You can't keep going like this." The chameleon Faunus tried.

"What about you, you keep having nightmares."

"… I don't try to stay up like you." Maelee defended herself.

"I'm fine, I can handle it."

"If you need to talk-

"I said I'm fine." Rayce spat before leaving.

Maelee frowned and made her way back to bed.

Rayce found herself in the training gym taking out her frustration on a punching bag. _'What's happening to me? Why won't they stop? What are they? I know they aren't dreams, they are visions. But visions of what? If only I could remember…_ ' she kicked the bag so hard it swung in the air like a pendulum.

On top of seeing visions Rayce had begun to remember bits and pieces of her past. Nothing major, just little things like she had a cat, or she used to work out barefooted. She remembered that she likes green tea, and that her mother's name is Desdemona. Still she wanted to know more, she needed to know more.

"She can't go on like this." Maelee had said the next morning as they got ready for school.

"What do you want me to do, she won't talk, and quite frankly I don't really care anymore." Azurite shrugged.

"You just say that; I know you care."

Azurite frowned and picked up her school bag.

Helio nudged Rayce in bed.

"Rayce, it's time to get up." She tried.

The night was the worst of it, that's when her visions would come, but as soon as day broke, she was free to sleep. Which meant she could get an hour of sleep before class.

"Rayce." Helio moved some of Rayce's hair out of her face.

Rayce forced her eyes open, still red from the vision before. Helio could tell she didn't look so good.

 _'Yeesh, she is definitely not a morning person'_ Trope commented.

' _Hush you, she is just going through some stuff._ ' Helio chastised.

' _I'm just saying._ '

"You two ready yet." Azurite barged in as usual.

Rayce slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Yeah give me a sec." she yawned.

Helio looked to Azurite for help. Her expression saying come on you can't let her go on like this. Azurite pretended not to notice, though Maelee was giving her the same expression.

Rayce dragged herself over to the bathroom, her uniform in hand.

"Azurite do something." Helio hissed.

"Me she's your partner."

"She needs someone to tell her to get help she won't listen to me." Helio pouted.

"And you think she'll listen to me!" Azurite loudly whispered.

"Yes." Maelee and Helio said in unison.

Azurite sighed, and was about to say something when Rayce came out of the restroom.

Rayce yawned and grabbed her bag.

"Let's go." She walked past the team.

Dr. Ion the science professor noticed Rayce was struggling to stay awake. The team sat in lecture listening to him speak when he suddenly stopped.

Everyone in the class except Rayce looked up at him.

"Doctor?" a student said trying to get his attention.

He walked over to Rayce who had her head down and her eyes nearly closed.

"What do we have here, not getting enough sleep Ms. Kind?" he asked.

Rayce forced herself to sit up.

"Sorry." Was all she said.

Helio glanced to Azurite for help, but she was clueless.

"Perhaps you find my lectures too boring to pay attention."

"No I-

"Maybe you should spend your time elsewhere, please leave my class."

"But-

"Please."

Rayce sighed and grabbed her things glancing at her team before heading out.

If there was one thing Dr. Ion did not tolerate it was sleeping in his class. He was usually relaxed on the rules, in fact he often broke a few himself, but sleeping was the one thing he could not stand. He felt if he was going to take the time to deeply explain what he found extremely fascinating he wanted his time to be well spent on students who actually took the time to care.

He had a messy unkempt appearance, a five o'clock shadow, messy stained lab coat, and wide red rimmed dark eyes. His white hair sticking up in various directions.

Rayce made her way back to the dorm immediately going to lay back down. She fell asleep almost instantly.

"Hey is Rayce okay? Saz asked after class.

Saz was a part of Team MUSC (music) and had a big crush on Azurite.

He had black hair that fell perfectly in his face framing it just right. He was unnaturally pale, and had his ears gauged. He was dubbed pretty boy back in his home town, and was a rebel. He has dark green eyes, and was average height and build.

Team MUSC lived in the dorm across from team AMRH so they had seen each other around often.

"Um, yeah, she's just tired is all." Azurite lied.

Azurite didn't have any particular interest in Saz mostly because she was too busy with her own team to really give him the time of day, or a chance.

"Sleeping in Ion's class that's bold." Upton commented.

Upton had dark ebony skin and hard set features. His hair was corn rolled back. He was tall, and wore headphones around his neck.

"She should know better." Cassie sighed.

Cassie had her orange hair half up and half down, her eyes a bright blue. Her cheeks decorated with freckles.

"Relax I'm sure she had her reasons." Mel said walking along side Team AMRH with his arms behind his head.

He had long shaggy hair they fell to his neck. It was a dark sandy blond color, his eyes dark brown. Mel was a very relaxed person, very mellow in demeanor. He was the leader of team MUSC.

"Don't worry she's fine." Helio reassured the team.

"I hope so, hey we should get going don't want to be late for Ms. Red's class." Cassie said.

"Yeah you know how she is, off with our heads if we are late." Saz laughed.

"We'll meet you there, we have to go get Rayce." Azurite said.

"Better hurry." Upton called as they walked off.

The team headed back to the dorm.

"Maybe you two should go to class I can talk to her." Azurite suggested.

"Are you sure?" Helio asked.

"If you really think she'll listen to me, I'm pretty sure she won't do it if you guys are there. It's a pride thing." Azurite shrugged.

"Good idea, let us know how it goes." Maelee smiled glad Azurite was finally going to do something.

Azurite sighed and made her way to the dorms alone. While Maelee and Helio went off to class.

' _Huh yeah right, no way she'll listen to me. She's as hard headed as hmm, well me I guess. Wow that's weird. I finally met someone as hard headed as me._ ' Azurite smirked to herself.

She walked in the room and head to Rayce's room barging in without knocking per usual.

Rayce was dead asleep, her eyes closed, her mouth slightly open. She was still in her uniform, her skirt riding up her toned legs. Azurite blushed and forced herself to look away.

She sat on the bed with Rayce, and moved Rayce's bangs from her face.

' _This would be easier if she weren't so attractive. I mean seriously. Curse this bi sexual brain of mine. Focus, okay first step wake her up._ '

"Hey get up, you are missing class!" Azurite shook Rayce.

Rayce grumbled a complaint and turned over ignoring Azurite.

"Seriously, come on, don't make me get water, because I will."

"Buzz off, I'm tired." Rayce complained.

"Well maybe if you'd talk about it instead of trying to stay up all night this wouldn't be your situation."

"Go away, last warning." Rayce grumbled.

"Or what huh? You're so tired I bet I could beat you in a sparring match."

Rayce sat up with a jolt, "Could not, your too much of a loser."

"What'd you call me!"

"A loooosser!"

' _And then I remember how much of a pain she is and all attraction is gone._ ' Azurite pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Look, it's just me you can talk, I won't judge. We are worried about you. I'm here by popular demand of the team, they want me to talk to you."

Rayce sighed and fixed her skirt avoiding eye contact.

"What about you, what do you want?" Rayce asked a slight bite in her tone.

"I want you to talk to me, we are a team, let me help you. this can stay between us if you want."

Rayce stared out the window in deep thought.

"They're not dreams." Rayce started.

"Huh?"

"It's not a dream or a nightmare." She looked down at her hands.

"What do you mean?

"I don't know. I don't know what they are or how to make them stop. I just, I don't…"

Azurite sighed and grabbed Rayce's hand in her own.

"Just talk to me, what is it you keep seeing? Maybe it's a repressed memory or something."

"It's not a memory, more like it hasn't happened yet, I don't know… it's just horrible stuff that I see. Bad stuff."

"What kind of bad stuff?" azurite asked.

Rayce squeezed azurite's hand and looked back to the window.

"Rayce you can tell me."

Rayce shook her head no. "I can't, you won't understand."

Azurite sighed.

"I have been remembering things too, some good, some bad, some just things."

"Like what?"

"Back where ever it is that I came from they used to call me Yiqi"

"What did that mean." Azurite smirked at the funny word.

"Outcast." Rayce stood to stare out the window.

Azurite frowned.

"I guess I've always been an outcast, somethings never change with or without memory." Rayce didn't look to Azurite.

"Well you have a team now, so I wouldn't say you're an outcast." Azurite tried standing and walking over to Rayce.

"I don't belong here, you are all here because you want to be a huntress, I am here because I have nowhere else to go. I'd say that makes me an outcast."

"Hey you don't have to think of it like that, look at this as an opportunity. Maybe it's a good thing you can't remember anything, this is your chance to start over, be someone new."

Rayce turned to Azurite. Her purple eyes looking for an answer in Azurites pink eyes.

"What if I liked who I was?" Rayce asked her eyes watering.

"You're still that person Rayce nothing's changed, so you can't remember, but deep inside you know you are the same person you've always been. They can take your memory's but they can't rob you of your identity, of what makes Rayce kind one of a kind. Whatever it is that happened to you, it's eating away at you, and if you don't stop focusing on it, it will ruin you. Just be you, be who you are now. Stop focusing on the bad and look for the good."

"That's just it, there is no good! I've looked, I've seen it. it's all bad. Some much pain and terror. So much heart ache. All I see is the bad, there is no good." Rayce sobbed grabbing Azurite by the shoulder and shaking her.

Azurite pulled Rayce in for a hug, Rayce stiffened. "Then make your own good Rayce. If there is no good, then make it yourself. Take these moments. Like the one we are having now and make the best of them. Be the good, right the wrongs, erase the bad. You're not alone anymore, I'm here, you have a team behind you now. We can help, we will help weather you like it or not."

Rayce pulled back from the hug and looked at Azurite with a serious look, trying to understand why she was in this situation.

"Promise?" Rayce said.

"Huh?"

"Promise you will help me, promise that we can be the good, promise we can right the wrongs. You have to promise!" Rayce shouted, holding Azurite firmly in place.

Azurite hesitated for a second locking eyes with Rayce before finally saying, "I promise. From now on and for the rest of your life Rayce, you are stuck with me. I'm not going anywhere. We are a team."

The two stared at each other intently, the moment tense and uncertain. Then Rayce let her hands slid slowly down Azurites arms. She breathed a sigh of relief before smiling at Azurite.

"I believe you." Rayce simply said.

Azurite tried to speak but no words would come out. Her cheeks lit up with blush as she realized that Rayce had the most beautiful smile she had ever seen.

Rayce sat back down on the bed with a yawn "I'm still tired so buzz off highlighter head."

Azurite smiled.

"I think I'm starting to figure you out." Azurite said with a smug look.

"Give me a break." Rayce complained falling back on the bed.

"No really it's slowly coming together."

Rayce rolled her eyes.

Azurite sat next to Rayce on the bed.

"Last warning, I am tried and I will take my frustration out on you." Rayce warned.

"Bring it shrimp." Azurite teased.

"That's it!" Rayce tackled Azurite on the bed.

The two wrestled on the bed Azurite giggling as Rayce tried to pin her down. Rayce smirked and started giggling at the fun she was having. They fell off the bed but the match continued as Azurite struggled to pin Rayce. Rayce flipped her over and finally pined her to the ground by the shoulders. The two giggling and trying to catch their breath.

"See told you a loser like you can't beat me." Rayce gave a cocky smile.

"Don't count those chickens yet." Azurite grunted as she used her leg to hook around Rayce's body and flip their positions and now she had Rayce pinned.

Rayce frowned up at her. Visibly upset by her defeat.

Azurite laughed.

"You look like I just ate your lunch." She teased.

"Get off." Rayce complained forcing Azurite off.

"Fine get your beauty sleep you need it, I'll come get you for lunch." Azurite relented.

Rayce sat back down on the bed.

"This stays between us right; you're not going to tell the others…" Rayce said looking concerned toward Azurite who stood to leave.

"just us, but you should talk to them, they are a part of this team too. You shouldn't worry about what people think of you, no one will take any less seriously if you smile occasionally."

Rayce sighed and adverted her gaze away from Azurite.

"Get some rest, I'll be back later." Azurite winked at Rayce before exiting.

Azurite was about to head to class when her scroll lit up. It was her guardian Irene. Whom she hadn't heard from since school began.

"Hello?"

"Hey how are you, I know I promised I'd get in touch sooner but being back at Atlas is a lot crazier than I anticipated." Irene said.

"Sounds fun, how do you always know when to call at the right time, it creeps me out." Azurite said turning around to head to her room instead.

"I bet, so how is everything, how are your grades, make any friends, kick any ass yet?"

"Where do I start, so somebody thought it would be a good idea to put me in charge of my own team, can you believe that."

"Don't sell yourself short, you're a natural leader."

"Maybe, my team is called AMRH. We are um odd to say the least. My partner is like 13 but she says her birthday is coming up soon. Her name is Maelee but I call her May, she's a Faunus. A chameleon Faunus to be exact she has this badass tail. Then there is the other half of the team, Helio swan-

"Wait the ballerina prodigy?" Irene cut her off.

"The very same, turns out she's not too bad at fighting either. Though she's kind of ditzy and strange, like she has a second personality she calls Trope, it's weird."

"I feel sorry for her partner."

"Her name is Rayce, she's um… different."

"Oh no, I know that tone. Please tell me you are not already in love."

"I'm not! Me with her psh, she's like bossy, and mean, and strong and like mysterious, and-

"Azurite Isadora, you have already fallen! It's been like what a month since school began."

"I'm not! okay maybe I think she's attractive, but she's also a pain in the ass. The shut in, stay away type. Also, she's arrogant and ugh she drives me crazy!"

"I knew this would happen, at least it's a girl this time. The last guy was questionable." Irene sighed.

"It's not like that, and he was unique, how was I supposed to know the names tattooed on his arm were people he stalked."

"You say that about all of them. For once I wished you slow down and just stay single."

"Don't worry like I said it's not like that. I promise not to get involved in any relationships for a while. I just want to focus on my team for a bit."

Irene gave a long sigh through the scroll, "You know I won't believe that, Zuri what am I going to do with you"

"You know you love me, but on a different note my grade are good. Minus the fact that I'm skipping class right now."

"Zuri!"

"What, I had to have a heart to heart with Rayce, then you called."

"And why exactly were you and miss different alone together?"

"She's been having nightmares or something, not sleeping, she got kicked out of class this morning for falling asleep. She's going through some stuff. Did I mention she has amnesia?"

"Amnesia! Now this takes the cake, and I thought wheelchair guy was weird."

"Hey he was… yeah your right I don't what I was thinking with that one." Azurite shrugged.

"Please just be safe, what if she's a murderer or something?"

"Uh actually that makes since, she's like a ninja, she could have been an assassin or something."

"Zuri you're not making me feel better."

"Look it's fine, we are barely friends, she doesn't even see me like that. Promise. Don't worry so much."

"If you say so, I'll try to call you at least once a month but you know how my job is. I better not find out this girl is an assassin, why can't you like normal people." Irene whimpered.

"I don't like her! Besides normal people are boring, I want someone-

"Different I know, I'll let you get back to class. You better keep those grades up missy."

"I will, geez. Bye AI love ya."

"Bye Zuri love you too." Irene said before hanging up.

Azurite stared at her scroll a homesick feeling overwhelming her.

Her eyes watered, but she smiled at her reflection on her scroll. This is what she wants, though it doesn't mean she didn't miss Irene a lot. The woman was like a mother to her. She sniffled and quickly wiped her tears and stood to head back to class. She was going to make Irene proud, she wanted to be just like Irene when she was older, a badass undercover operative always in the center of action. First things first though, passing classes and being a leader.

"Well how'd it go?" Helio ask Azurite as they walk to their next class.

"Did she talk to you?" Maelee asked.

"She did, you guys were right. We had a talk I think she gets the idea. Hopefully whatever it is that she keeps seeing at night will go away."

"Well what did she say?" Helio pried.

"Nope can't tell, it's between us, she made me promise. Tell you it's a pride thing she doesn't want you guys to see her as weak or whatever. I told her that's stupid but hey one problem at a time." Azurite shrugged.

"At least she got some things off her chest, maybe she will be able to sleep tonight." Maelee smiled.

"I hope, you know how hard it is to fall asleep listening to your favorite songs, hard." Azurite complained.

Helio sighed and ignored Maelee and Azurite bickering.

' _Relax, I can feel you stressing, making me stress._ ' Trope complained.

' _It's just Rayce is my partner, yet she can't talk to me. But she can talk to Azurite? What does she have that I don't?_ '

' _You know jealousy's not a pretty color on you. Maybe it's because she sees highlighter head over there as a friend, maybe she sees you as more_.'

' _You think? She doesn't act like it. are you messing with me?_ '

' _Yes, yes I am. Face it lean and mean has no heart for love. She probably just respects Azurite. While you she sees more as a nuisance_.'

"Hey!" Helio accidently said out loud.

"What?" Maelee asked.

"Oh nothing, just talking to Trope. She's being mean again."

"Oookay." Azurite said with an eyebrow raised.

Helio blushed in embarrassment and scolded herself for admitting that. Usually she would keep quiet about Trope, mostly because she was afraid people would think she was crazy. But to Helio Trope was as real as any other person.

She only admitted it because despite not knowing everyone all that well yet she trusted her team, and knew she was stuck with them for four year at the least. She figured there was no use in hiding it.

Azurite had been watching Helio for the past week trying to learn more about the strange ballerina. In fact, she had been watching all her team mates, it's how she was trained by Irene. Always watch and take note, any good undercover operative will tell you that. She studied them silently, sometimes not so silently, but still Helio was a puzzle to her. At least with Maelee and Rayce they had reasons for the way they acted, but Helio was different.

Her strange behavior Azurite had first tried to link to her stressful childhood or something like that. But as time went on it was clear Helio didn't drag the weight of her past around with her everywhere like most. On top of that Azurite had observed that Helio often talked to herself or to what she called Trope, which was even more puzzling.

Azurite wasn't one to label but a mental illness was what all the signs pointed too. And a bad one at that, one that has never been diagnosed or treated. Still it wasn't a problem yet, so she let it be for now.

As lunch period began the team headed back to the dorm to retrieve what they were sure to be a grumpy Rayce. But when they opened the door screams filled their ears.

Azurite sighed and followed by her team made her way to the bedroom where the sounds originated.

…

Rayce's vision

Rayce's point of view

Flames licked at my skin, stinging like thousands of little needles. Each breath I drew was filled with hot air and smoke. Thirsty, the flames had made me thirsty.

Then screams filled my ears and a sight opened to me. Fire everywhere I looked. And people fleeing from death. The scent of burning flesh tingled my nose.

"Help, please!" a man cried.

On top of him was what looked to me like a metal beam of sort, one used to hold stage lighting above the stage for a performance. His legs were crushed and blood pooled around him.

My eyes sting from staring to long. I turn to see an audience now empty as I stand of stage alone. The sign hanging below the upper deck read, Swan Lake Ballet. The name Helio Swan was crossed out and was replaced with the name Rebecca Parker. Then the sign burst into flames.

There was a calendar back stage where I retreated to get away from the fire. The date circled, the others X'd out. Then a clock on a vanity, exactly 8:03pm.

I collapsed on the floor the fire over coming me. My flesh burning and sizzling. The feeling of being cooked alive I screamed.

…

Back to Present

3rd person.

Rayce bolted up right in bed, sweat dripping of her face. Her eyes scanned the room, meeting each form of her team. Then she was quickly overcome by the desperate need for water.

She ran past them to the tiny kitchen where she grabbed two water bottles and began to chug one. Almost as if she had gone days without water.

Her team watched her carefully.

Rayce's limbs ached and burned as if she had run two marathons back to back. She slid down the wall, water in her hands, breathing heavy to catch her breath.

"You okay?" Azurite finally asked.

Rayce took another sip before leaning her head back on the wall, her hair sticking to her sweaty face.

"I'm fine." She lied.

"You want to talk about it?" Azurite tried.

"No."

The team gave a collected sigh.

"What's todays date?" Rayce asked.

"Why?" Helio asked.

"Just tell me."

"Just look on your scroll." Maelee advised.

Rayce pulled her scroll from her pocket and looked. Her heart fell to her stomach as she saw it was the very same day from her vision. For a while she just stared at the screen, wondering what to do, then she glanced at the time. Just a little after noon.

Rayce forced herself to stand then turned to Helio.

"Who's Rebecca Parker?"

"What?"

"Rebecca Parker, do you know her?"

"Yeah she was my understudy back when I was in the ballet." Helio gave Rayce a confused expression.

Rayce thought about this new information as she opened the second water bottle and began to sip it.

"What's that look you have? What are you thinking?" Azurite asked.

Rayce paced back and forth slowly thinking over everything. This was her chance she had decided; this was the chance to see if these were merely just dreams or if they were something more like she suspected.

"Nothing, it's nothing." She lied.

The team shared skeptical glances.

"Rayce you can talk to us." Azurite tried.

"It's fine, come on we should get going, I'm starving." Rayce played it off.

They sighed and followed the hard-headed warrior.

At lunch Rayce was out of it, she mostly just gazed off into oblivion, mixing up her spaghetti with her fork. Team MUSC and team AMRH sat in awkward silence.

"So, um Azurite, where'd you get all your tattoos?" Saz asked trying to start up conversation.

"I worked at tattoo parlor." Was all Azurite said as she stared at Rayce in concern.

"Sounds like you might some interesting stories to tell." Saz smiled.

Azurite finally turned to look at him, a bored expression on her face. He gulped.

"Yeah actually, plenty, but maybe another time, what about you any stories?"

"Totally, I used to be in a band, we travelled all over Anima, till… well anyways we rocked, saw all sorts of crazy things. It was the best." He gave a sad smile.

Mel rubbed him on the shoulder giving him a reassuring smile.

"What happed?" Azurite asked now intrigued.

"Well one night we stayed out a bit late, and had a gig the next day a few towns over, we knew the only way we could make it is if we travelled through the night, or airship. We were broke, so we travelled through the night. We got ambushed by some grimm, I'm the only one who survived. It was hard you know, so I decided to do the next best thing, and be a hunter. I miss them." Saz sniffled holding back his tears.

"Wow I'm so sorry, that's awful." Azurite grabbed his hand in hers.

"It's okay, I know my buddies are in a better place, besides they wouldn't want me crying all the time. I know no one could ever replace them, but I'm glad I have you guys now." He smiled.

"We're glad we have you." Mel smiled at him.

After lunch the teams headed to sparing class, taught by Professor Bell. People were split into pairs per usual, to work on partner team work. Of course, per usual Helio and Rayce were still the undefeated pair. Helio wasn't hard to beat, throw off her balance and the girl was as good as done. But with Rayce at her side, she was nearly impossible to beat.

The two were a well-oiled machine, they complemented each other's fighting styles perfectly. Almost like they knew each other so well that they could always predict the others moves. Of course, that wasn't true for Helio, she had no idea what Rayce was doing half the time, or anything about Rayce really. Rayce was the one doing all the work, she predicted Helio's moves and always toped it with her own. She covered Helio's blind spots and she often stayed on the defensive, mostly because she knew she was stronger than everyone in the room and didn't care to fight them.

Or so she thought.

For today was not a good day for Rayce, having gone days with little to no sleep, her mind on other matters like her visions, she was distracted, and exhausted.

Helio could sense Rayce's reluctantly to take to the practice arena again. This time the two were to face off against a couple members of team ARBN, Arslan Altan, and Reese Chloris.

Reese had been begging Professor Bell to pair them against team AMRH as the team was known for the undefeatable pair. So finally, Professor Bell relented.

"I'll go easy on you." Reese winked at Helio.

' _We will destroy her._ ' Trope commented.

"Give me a break." Rayce rolled her eyes.

"Never underestimate your opponent." Arslan said.

"You okay to go?" Helio whispered to Rayce.

Rayce nodded and got into her defensive stance.

Rayce wore her combat outfit, her ninja split toe boots, her black pants tight around the ankles but loose around her thighs. She wore an orange sports bra, and a black sweater tank top that cut off at her stomach and was low cut under her arms. Her orange gloves went from her knuckles to her elbow, a hole for her thumb to stick out. Her hair was tied back into a loose ponytail. The orange scarf she always carried was tied on her arm this time, the symbol of the eye where everyone could see.

Helio had upgraded her combat outfit to better fit her situation, though it still had her signature spin on it.

She wore tights that were black but had a shattered glass pattern on them which was in white. Her boots looked like black ballerina shoes, and she wore a shorter tutu. Which was white with rhinestones on it. she had a netted like material run under her tutu, covering her neck and her shoulders. Her blond curly lock were put up in a tight bun a pink bow to top it off.

The two drew their weapons. Helio used her ribbon baton, Rayce had her weapon in staff mode, nobody in the class had ever had the chance to see it's other forms. Nobody but her team that is. Mostly because Rayce never felt the need to use the other modes, when she could easily beat them with its default setting.

"You know the rules." Professor Bell said before a ding went off indicating the match had started.

Reese jumped on her board and went for Rayce, Rayce back flipped out of the way and countered by hitting Reese's bored. The skater stumbled around a bit before regaining her balance.

Arslan ran at Helio, who had loaded blue dust into her weapon.

Arslan attempted to hit Helio, but the ballerina literally danced around her moves. Helio used her ribbon to wrap around Arslan hand kicking her while doing twirl, then activating the dust which froze Arslan in place. Helio skipped around her with a smile. Arslan closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She used her free hand to punch and shatter the ice. Then she grabbed Helio by the ribbon of her weapon and pulled her closer, kicking her back. Helio fell to the floor with an oaf.

Rayce had been struggling with hitting Reese who was on her board and landing good hits.

The frustration caused Rayce to transform her weapon into its fan blade mode and whirl it around knocking Reese off her board. Rayce quickly changed her weapon back and was about to attack when Arslan came up behind her and wrapped the ribbons on her hand around Rayce's head and slammed her to the ground.

Rayce quickly got back up, her fight instinct kicking in. she knew she was dangerously close to losing, and the win streak in her refused to let that happen.

"Helio!" Rayce called.

Helio stood and quickly went to her side.

"What's the plan." Helio asked.

"Take skater girl, use your ribbon to take her board. I got her, got it."

"Got it." Helio nodded.

Reese and Arslan shared a smug look and nodded.

Rayce and Helio took the offensive Rayce jumping in the air and bringing her staff down hard. Arslan caught it with her bare hands, and kicked Rayce hard in the gut sending her flying. Arslan threw the staff away so that Rayce wouldn't have it, forcing the warrior into hand to hand combat. Little did Arslan know that was Rayce's specialty.

Reese circled Helio, who twirled the ribbon around herself, slowly at first the quickly as she turned on her toe like any good ballerina could do. Ice shards went flying out in all directions, hitting Reese dead on sending the girl retreating.

Helio then used the ribbon to wrap around the board and yank it out from under reeses feet. Reese quickly grabbed her board and turned it into dual wielded pistols. Firing at Helio.

Helio spun out of the way, easily dodging the shots.

Rayce looked at Arslan as she approached a smug smile on her face. Rayce returned the smile. Taking her scarf off her arm, showing it to the crowd then tying it around her eyes. Mocking Arslan. The crowd cheered.

And Rayce got that familiar feeling in her gut again. The chanting crowd the hand to hand combat. She felt right in her comfort zone.

Arslan glared at Rayce before charging her.

Rayce blocked every move and quickly countered, grabbing Arslan by the shoulder and flipping her to the ground.

Reese fired a few rounds at Rayce, who backflipped to dodge them. Helio's eyes turned red and her hair turned black, her tutu turning the opposite color, all white turned black, and all black turned white. Black swan wings appearing on the back of her tutu, her bow turned red.

Trope was much faster than Helio, black feather trailing behind her. The ribbon hardened into a sword and before Reese could react Trope was on her, she used the sword to knock the guns from her hands, then grabbed Reese by the arm forcing her to dance with her. Reese stumbled around, till finally Trope finished her off by giving her a twirl and kicking her to the ground.

Arslan kept trying to hit Rayce, but Rayce easily dodged, finally Rayce did her signature move she back flipped landing on her left hand, twisted around sweeping Arslan feet out from under her and then kicked Arslan in the jaw, sending her flying.

The buzzer sounded letting everyone know the match was over. The crowd of student on lookers stood and cheered. This was by far the best match they had seen yet.

Rayce took off the blindfold, and smiled at Trope, who did a happy twirl.

Rayce went to help Reese up.

"Nice match." Rayce smiled.

"Back at you, definitely want a rematch one day." Reese smiled.

"We'll see." Rayce smiled.

Arslan handed Rayce back her staff.

"I thought I almost had you." Arslan gave a small smile.

"Spoke too soon." Trope smiled wrapping her arm around Rayce's waist.

"I see that, perhaps once we are better we could have a rematch." Arslan suggested.

"We'll be waiting." Trope smiled.

Professor Bell watched Rayce and Trope walk back to the stands. _'She's far better than any first year I've seen. I wonder where she went to get trained._ ' The professor thought to herself.

As the team headed back to their dorm Azurite was still geeking about it.

"That was so awesome when you were all like look no eyes, and then Helio when you went all badass."

Maelee giggled.

"We are the dynamic duo." Helio smiled.

"Whatever." Rayce shrugged.

"No really how'd you do that. You dodged and blocked their every move even the surprise attack by Reese. That was incredible. You got to show me how you did it."

"Can't it would take you years to learn. Took me years to perfect it." Rayce yawned.

"Did you remember something?" Maelee asked.

"Sort of, I think I was in some sort of training academy, but like one that is like super advanced. I taught myself how to listen to people's movements because I couldn't use my semblance for a long time."

"What do you mean? Why couldn't you use your semblance, what is your semblance?" Azurite asked.

"I was a late bloomer I think. I can't remember exactly when I got it, but I know I have it."

"What is it?" Helio asked again.

Rayce looked down avoiding her teams gaze.

"Um, it's complicated." Rayce said before retreating into the room.

"Come on tell us, you know our semblance, we should know yours."

"Just drop it." Rayce snapped retreating to her room.

Helio sighed. "I'll talk to her." She then followed Rayce.

Azurite sighed and plopped on the couch.

"What do you think it is?" Azurite asked Maelee.

"I don't know. she hasn't used it since we met."

"I think she used it once, when she got hurt at the lake, for a split second her eyes lit up a bright lavender, but nothing happened. So, I don't know." azurite sighed.

"Her eyes huh, well you said nothing happened, so maybe it's not something physical, maybe it's a mental semblance. Maybe she's been using it this whole time and we haven't noticed." Maelee suggested.

"You think, but what?"

"Hmmm…"

Helio sat on her bed and watched Rayce stare out the window.

"You know you can talk to me too. Azurite may be the leader, but I'm your partner. You can tell me anything."

"What do you think about the future?" Rayce asked.

Helio got up and sat next to her on the window seal.

"Well I think the future is always changing every day, and it's the choices we make that decide what happens next." She grabbed Rayce's hand in her own.

"What if that's not true, what if your future was set and you didn't know it yet? what if you knew everything that was going to happen, what would you do?"

"Well I wouldn't accept it; I'd do whatever I could to change it. make it better, make it the future I want."

Rayce looked at Helio, who smiled at her.

"So you think I should try to make it better?"

"Yes, though it depends what you are talking about."

"Hmmm, I think I'll go out tonight." Rayce said turning back to the window.

"Why? Where? Can I come?" Helio asked.

Rayce squeezed her hand without turning to look at her.

"No. I have to do this on my own, I have to know."

"Know what?"

Rayce let go of Helio's hand.

"Nothing, I'll be back." She smiled.

"But…"

Rayce grabbed her weapon and a small bag filled with her mask, binoculars, and extra dust. She headed out.

She took the hour long walk to mistral, and then the ten-minute walk to the theater. Where she waited, and watched.

Rayce watched all the exits and entrances, watching guest file in for the 7 o' clock premiere of Swan Lake, since it had been canceled and pushed back due to Helio quitting. Rayce watched the clock. Every minute that came closer to 8'oclock was a minute she dreaded.

It was 7:54 when Rayce saw the first signs of smoke. Then the fire alarms went off. People filed out, coughing and shoving.

Rayce stared at the scene for a moment, her brain trying to catch up to what she saw. There was a fire, just like in her vision.

Rayce jumped down from the building she was perched on down the street, landing in a window cleaners platform before jumping off that the rest of the way down. She put her mask on, which covered the entire lower half of her face, and doubled as a respirator in emergency's. Then she grabbed her loose ponytail and tightened it.

She ran towards the building the fire a blaze now.

"you can't go in there!" someone shouted at her as Rayce ran in through the front.

She ran past the crowd of evacuating people and onto the stage. She heard a loud snap and then the cat walk came falling. A man tried to run past her but the cat walk fell right on top of him. He cried out in pain.

"Help Please!" he begged.

Rayce watched blood pool around him.

She turned back to the audience and saw the sign burst into flames. She froze in fear. This was just like her vision.

"Help!" the man's cries startled her back to reality.

She ran over to him and pushed at the metal bars, when they didn't budge, she used her staff as leverage to lift it. he crawled out.

She then lifted him up and carried him through the flames running back to the entrance. When they made it outside Rayce sighed in relief. Till she heard,

"Ilena is missing, someone find Ilena!"

"I think she's still inside!"

"She ran back in to get Rebecca!"

Rayce looked back at the building upon hearing this new info. She took a deep breath and ran back in. the entrance collapsed behind her.

She ran down the aisles flames licking at her legs singing the fabric of her pants. She jumped back on the stage and ran towards the back. There was the colander and the clock, she ran past them to the back, to a door that read Rebecca parker.

She kicked it open to find two girls huddled in a corner. Rebecca out cold.

Rayce ran toward the conscious girl, she quickly took off her mask and handed it to her.

"Here, so you don't have to breath in any more smoke."

Ileana looked at Rayce with her bright crystal blue eyes, eyes so blue they almost looked clear. Her hair was a beautiful platinum blond and cascaded down her shoulder just right. Her skin a white milky color that looked as soft as silk. She smiled at Rayce.

Rayce put the mask on her and then bent to pick up Rebecca parker.

"This way." Rayce coughed.

They headed out back, looking for the door when disaster struck. A sand bag had fell and hit Ilena in the head knocking her out cold. Rayce tried to pick her up but could only handle one at a time.

So, she dragged Ilena to safety and ran for the door knowing she would have to come back for her.

She burst through the back door, coughing and running to the nearest person, handing them Rebecca before running back.

She ran in and grabbed Ilena, a rope fell from the ceiling and smacked Rayce across the back, burning through her clothes and leaving a large pink burn across her back. Rayce screamed in pain and pressed on.

She could feel herself getting woozy as she coughed continually. She could feel the fire over taking her, just like in her vision, she nearly collapsed were it not for the damsel in her arms. She pressed on making it to the back door. Just as the fire had touched some gas cans which were used for generators in case the power went out.

An explosion sent Rayce flying out the door, Ilena in her arms. She landed on her back skidding to a stop, Ilena on top of her.

Rayce struggled to catch her breath, rolling Ilena off her and taking off the mask from the girl's face. Ileana sat up with a gasp as she gasped for fresh air. Rayce put her mask back on.

"You okay?" Rayce coughed.

"Yeah, I think so, you saved my life." Ilena said with shock.

Rayce tried to stand but the damage to her back had her screaming in pain and falling back down.

"You're hurt." Ilena cried kneeling next to Rayce.

Rayce just looked up at the beautiful girl, mesmerized.

Ilena looked to be Rayce's age, her clothes indicated she worked here at the theater, not as a dancer but as a waitress or stage hand.

Ilena took off Rayce's mask staring at Rayce with a curiosity.

"I'm fine." Rayce gasped out reaching for her mask again.

"You need help." Ileana said stopping Rayce from getting the mask.

"No I need to leave." Rayce gasped.

Ilena bent down and placed a light kiss on Rayce's lips.

"That's for saving me." She smiled.

Rayce blushed though you couldn't tell by all the soot that coated her face.

Rayce sat up with a hiss in pain. She grabbed her mask and put it back on.

"Who are you?" Ilena asked.

"No one." Rayce said as she stood as used her staff as support.

She looked at the crowd of people, news crews arriving on the scene.

"Hey, she's a hero. That girl saved lives today." A man told news crew. The cameras quickly pointed to Rayce.

Rayce quickly retreated running off as fast as possible. Rayce made the painful walk back to the dorm. Her back bleeding. She limped, a cough escaping every few seconds.

When she opened the door to her dorm. Her team was waiting.

"Where have you been, you can't just leave whenever you feel like it, I thought we've been through this." Azurite crossed her arms.

Rayce coughed and slid down the wall, leaving a trail of blood behind her.

"Rayce, she's hurt!" Helio cried running over to her.

"What the hell, what happened." Azurite asked bending down next to her.

Maelee ran to get a wash cloth.

Helio took Rayce's mask off and Maelee handed her the wet towel. Helio quickly began to clean the black soot off Rayce's face.

Maelee gasped and turned up the news which had been playing before Rayce had come back.

"Look!" she called to everyone.

The team turned their attention to the tv.

"They are calling her angel of Mistral. This girl was seen rescuing several people from the theater today, including main star Rebecca Parker. The brave girl ran straight into the fire, and made it out just in the nick of time. Her identity remains a secret, but it's clear she's a hero. A worker known as Ilena Troy who works for the theater as a waitress had this to say."

"She saved my life, she's a hero. I want to know her name, where she came from. If you're watching this thank you, and I hope you are okay."

A picture of Rayce in her mask flashed across the screen. Maelee muted the tv everyone Turing back to Rayce.

"A fire?" Azurite said.

Rayce closed her eyes and let exhaustion take her.

 **A/N: hey everyone sorry for the long wait, schools out for summer and I hope I will be able to update this more. hope you like the chapter. Feel free to leave a comment all is welcome. What do you think of Rayce's visions? I will explain them better next chapter for sure, also what do you think of team MUSC, each character is based on a genre of music, which I will go into better detail later. Dr. Ion is based off doctor Frankenstein from the book Frankenstein, his full name is franklin ion. Ms. Bell based off tinker bell, Ms. Red based off the red queen of hearts from Alice in wonderland. Ilena is based off Helen of Troy. Tell me what you guys want to happen, and if something wasn't clear enough. As for the villains, you'll just have to wait and see ;) but until next time,**

 **-batty**

Ps. Ilena- (ill-n-uh)


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